


Electric Stars

by Persephone_orchids



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, Romance, Sequel, Smut, Some angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:40:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 30,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27503944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephone_orchids/pseuds/Persephone_orchids
Summary: Sequel to Lightning in a Summer Sky. Modern day AU. A year after their Grecian summer romance, Lucy and Laxus are back in the real world. It was one thing to fall in love on a secluded island, but life can be bitch and relationships aren't always a piece of cake.
Relationships: Laxus Dreyar/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 19
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited sequel! Well, at least long awaited for me. I loved Lightning in a Summer Sky. It was my full pride and joy, and I will always consider it my piece de resistance. I have wanted to delve back into that universe for some time now, and I was finally struck by such forceful inspiration one wine-drunk night that I simply had to start writing. I am so terribly excited to be writing this, and I hope I can do Lightning in a Summer Sky justice!
> 
> As always, please leave me your reviews, because they truly give me life! Plus, usual disclaimer of me not owning Fairy Tail. I have borrowed the names, but everything else is mine!
> 
> Happy reading!

"Baby!"

Laxus jerked his head up at the familiar voice, just in time to see a small, blonde woman hurl herself at him. Mercifully braced against the cold steel railing, Laxus managed to catch the girl and prevent his phone from smashing into the ground. He tried forming words, but only delighted chuckles escaped his lips. Standing at the airport, bags strewn everywhere, with the most perfect woman in the world currently in his arms, Laxus marveled at how sometimes, just sometimes, the movies did actually get it right.

"It's good to see you, my love," he finally managed, setting the girl back on her feet. He tucked an errant strand of blonde hair behind her ear and leaned down to give her a soft kiss.

"I've missed you, Laxus," Lucy whispered against her boyfriend's lips.

"I'm never letting you go," Laxus murmured in response, tightening his hold around her waist.

"Okay, let's get into a car quickly. Whether you like it or not, we're getting naked in exactly seven minutes," Lucy threatened, unzipping her jacket as if to prove a point.

Laxus bellowed out a laugh, collecting Lucy's bags that lay by their feet. She slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow, sighing happily when it fit _just right_. On the walk to Laxus's car, he even managed to convince her to let go of the 'naked-in-seven-minutes plan', and grudgingly, Lucy agreed to wait until they got home before she ripped his shirt off.

As they drove to Laxus's house, Lucy rolled down her window and stuck her face out. She wistfully watched the ocean zip past them as Laxus tore down the gorgeous, open coastal road.

"Me too," he finally said, drawing Lucy out her reverie.

"Huh?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Greece. I miss it too. I know the ocean here reminds you of it," he commented. He reached over and squeezed her thigh.

"Yeah… But it's okay. I'm just happy I'm with you again. Anywhere's Greece with you, baby," she winked animatedly at the end.

Laxus let out an amused snort. "Three months must be the longest we've been apart, huh?" he commented.

"Well, I had spent three months with you before that, so…" Lucy trailed off.

Laxus threw her an accusatory glare. "So? I think three months with your boyfriend is perfectly normal. Especially if your boyfriend is lovely as me," Laxus shrugged.

Lucy rolled her eyes at the cockiness - a small, tiny bad habit that she simply couldn't knock out of him. "Yeah, well, it's not normal when you're a working professional who was only supposed to take _two weeks_ off, but happened to mysteriously come down with a terribly bad case of measles at the last minute that kept her out of work for an additional _two and a half months_. Sure, that sat really well with my boss, Laxus," Lucy scoffed.

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm and I didn't force you to stay. I gently suggested it, and you agreed, so really, that one is not on me. However…" Laxus looked at her suggestively.

"No. No, no. I'm not doing it again," Lucy quickly shook her head.

"You could get bird flu! Or was it bat flu? Or maybe just good ol' chicken pox. Were you ever vaccinated? Doesn't matter, we can destroy documentation if we need to. I mean, something fatal is probably pushing it, but are you morally against falsely exploiting a life-threatening disease that many suffer from?" Laxus asked sincerely.

"Yes, I am, and no, I am not fake falling sick again. I really do need to get back this time." The slight urgency in Lucy's voice gave Laxus pause.

"What do you-" he began.

"Oh, we're here! Thank fuck! Okay, babe, as much as I want us to fuck right now on your front porch, I _need_ to get clean. I smell like airplane and it's not fun," Lucy quickly said, dissuading Laxus from asking the question he was going to. She didn't want to have that conversation here.

* * *

The warm water felt amazing, tumbling down on Lucy's shoulders and releasing the knots that came with long flights. Her hair smelled like vanilla and honey once more, and her coconut soap had gently fragranced her skin. Laxus's entire bathroom had become a steamy, very nice smelling sauna.

"Damn, Heartfilia, what are you trying to do? Cook yourself?" Lucy heard Laxus say in a low voice as he stepped into the shower behind her.

"I will pay you to rub my shoulders, Laxus," Lucy pleaded, tapping a finger against the aggrieved area.

Laxus leaned down, pressing his body against Lucy's, bringing his lips to her ear as nimble fingers began massaging her back. "I'm definitely going to collect," he whispered.

"Better give me my money's worth, then," Lucy replied seductively, turning around to face him. They kept their gazes locked as Laxus reached behind Lucy to turn off the water before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her to his bed.

"Your sheets!" Lucy screamed as he tossed her dripping frame onto the mattress.

"We can change them after," Laxus mumbled huskily, crawling over her. He started by kissing the top of her head, working his way down to her forehead, kissing both eyelids and the tip of her nose before tilting her head to kiss her cheek, first the right, then the left. He kissed along her jaw, down her throat, and up to her ear, before finally, kissing her lips. It started slow and sensual. Lucy wound her fingers into Laxus's damp hair, meeting every flick and swirl of his tongue with her own. But soon, their kissing grew more frantic. Teeth nipped against soft flesh as tongues battled, both desperate to taste as much as they could of the other. Lucy began grinding herself against Laxus, feeling his erection nestled comfortably between their bodies.

"I can't wait any longer," Lucy moaned, reaching down between them to stroke his member.

Laxus discreetly spit into his hand before slicking it against Lucy's already very wet entrance.

"You don't want to play a little first?" he offered.

"Later. We'll have nice, long foreplay later. For now, I need you in me," Lucy pleaded, bucking her hips against his. One hand had freed itself from Laxus's blond locks and was now tweaking her nipple.

"Still on birth control?" Laxus asked.

"Yes yes yes," Lucy rushed, eager for what was coming.

"Been sleeping with anyone else?" Laxus joked, goading her.

"Laxus, please don't tease me," Lucy wailed.

"STDs babe. Gotta be sure," he chuckled before pressing his lips to hers.

Then, with a single thrust, he buried himself inside her. Simultaneously, the couple sighed happily. For what could have been twenty minutes or two hours, Lucy and Laxus made love all over his bed. Laxus gripped Lucy's hips as he drove into her from the back, and then, Lucy would be straddling him, hands pressed against his chest, as she bounced on his cock. Laxus's bedroom was soon filled with ecstatic moans and growls, as the two reconnected lovers explored each other's bodies once more.

Finally, as the excitement and adrenaline began to wear off, Laxus hovered over Lucy, her legs around his waist, as he slowly pumped into her. Looking deeply at each other, with soft lips letting out gentle pants, Lucy and Laxus came undone together. Their orgasms began in their toes, slowly coursing their way up through the couple's bodies, until, with a shattering gasp and a passionate kiss, Lucy's pussy clenched around Laxus, drawing out his seed.

When Laxus tried to roll to the side, Lucy tightened her legs around him, encircling his neck with her arms. She tugged him down, forcing him to fall upon her chest, where she hugged him. His familiar weight, pressed into her as she wove her legs through his, reminded Lucy of the many ways in which Laxus was her happy place. She couldn't help but admire his beautifully coloured sandy blond hair, and his sharp cheekbones that led down to full, sensual lips. Though his eyes were shut, Lucy could clearly picture their perfect grey-blue colour, framed by long, brown lashes. His height and physique and impeccable sense of style generally gave Laxus the air of someone who was rich, handsome, and unbelievably cocky. All of that was true, but when he lay against Lucy's chest, breathing gently and contentedly against her skin, there was something so delicately beautiful about him, it made Lucy's heart twist from unrestrained love. Laxus gently kissed the breast against which his face was nestled as Lucy combed her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, Dreyer," she whispered, almost to herself.

"I love you too, Heartfilia," he softly replied.

Then, sitting up to observe his girlfriend with her post-orgasmic glow, Laxus couldn't help but smile. "Stay just like that," he ordered. Lucy had moved one arm to above her head and the other across her chest. Laxus leaned over, reaching for the camera on his side table, before getting up on his knees and pointing the lens at Lucy.

"Laxus," Lucy admonished, rolling her eyes.

"You're so beautiful. Just let me do this, please," he muttered, clicking the shutter button repeatedly.

"It's practically a boudoir shot, Laxus!" Lucy complained. "Next thing you know, we'll be making a sex tape."

"First of all, I'm down to make a sex tape. Secondly, how dare you compare my photos to some second-rate porno? These are classy. You'll see," he continued to mumble, minutely adjusting Lucy's arms or hair to get the best shot.

"I said boudoir. That's not second-rate porno," Lucy justified.

"Whatever. Look at these," Laxus said proudly, falling off Lucy to show her the little display screen.

As Lucy scrolled through the photos, she was reminded of all those beautiful shots Laxus had taken of her in Greece. That man had this magical ability to make her look unbelievably stunning, and he had done it yet again. Lucy couldn't be mad at a photograph that so succinctly captured the love and lust she felt for her boyfriend, perfectly articulated in her wide, honey brown eyes.

"I don't know how you do it…" Lucy whispered in shock.

"I press a button. _You_ look stunning," Laxus said, kissing her head. Then, putting his camera down and sliding out of bed, Laxus walked to his cupboard for a pair of pants.

"No! Please don't hide that ass," Lucy said lecherously, wagging her eyebrows.

"Stop being a pervert. I'm going to cook you some dinner," he announced, slipping his toned legs into a pair of sweatpants.

"Goodbye, gorgeous butt. Goodbye even gorgeous-er penis. I'll miss you," Lucy pouted, staring firmly at his crotch.

"You're ridiculously insatiable. All the more reason to get started on dinner, so that you'll have the energy to do everything you want to tonight," Laxus called as he left the room.

"Good thinking! My boyfriend is a genius!" Lucy screamed, cackling hysterically to herself as she heard Laxus clang about the kitchen. Helping herself to his closet, Lucy found her favourite shirt and slipped it on before wading through her suitcase for a pair of panties.

As she padded out towards the kitchen, she began talking. "I don't know why I bothered with the panties, honestly. You're just going to take them off again in an hour. Oh, well," Lucy said, rounding the corner into the kitchen. She perched herself on the counter, watching Laxus as he cooked. He handed the ladle to Lucy, silently instructing her to stir what looked like pasta sauce, as he poured two glasses of wine.

"How's work?" she asked, accepting the glass from Laxus.

"Uh, the same as it was yesterday? When I told how work was over the phone?" Laxus replied, confused.

"Yeah, but now I'm asking in person! Ugh, should we maybe not talk every day? Because now we have nothing to catch up on," Lucy groaned, taking a sip of her wine.

Laxus stayed silent for a couple seconds, stirring around the pot some more. Then, popping a lid on, he turned to Lucy.

"You sure we have nothing to catch up on? 'Cause I know you, Lucy. And there's something you want to tell me, but haven't. So, out with it," he demanded.

Lucy sighed. Obviously he noticed. There was never anything he didn't notice. "You know, your powers of observation would make it very hard for me to have an illicit affair," Lucy noted.

"That's how I'm keeping you roped in for life. Now, tell me. What happened?" he asked.

With a deep inhale, Lucy jumped off the counter and slipped her hand into his. She led him to the couch, where she proceeded to curl up in his lap, wine in hand.

"Okay. So," she began.

"Wait, how bad is it? I need to prepare myself," Laxus interjected.

"It's not bad… It's actually good. But… Okay, basically. I got into the Masters programme I was looking at," Lucy blurted.

"Heartfilia! That's amazing! Congratulations! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Laxus gave her a tight hug.

"It starts this fall…"

"So? September is still a couple months away." Laxus was still confused as to why she hadn't told him earlier.

"Yeah, which is why I can't stay for more than two weeks this time. I need to go home, wrap things up at work, put in my papers, pack, find someone who'll go check in on dad every now and then… Just a lot of work to do," Lucy sighed, dropping her face into Laxus's shoulder.

"That's okay, babe. I understand. And if you need, I can take a few weeks off work to come help you. I don't have any large projects coming up any time soon," Laxus offered.

"Actually, I think we should go on holiday somewhere. Just for a week even. And we can go somewhere more local. Maybe a lake house? In August. Right before I leave. Since, after that, it may be a while before we…" she trailed off.

"A while before what, Lucy?" Laxus asked, leaned back to look at her suspiciously.

"This is why I didn't tell you! I didn't want to have this conversation! Laxus, my University is nearly a six hour flight away!"

"So? It's not like we live in the same city now! We're still a couple hours away from each other! What's four more hours?"

"It's not that… It's that I won't be able to just take off from University. At least with work, I can come here and work remotely, and live with you for three months, but I can't do that at University." Lucy could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes. "And it's not like we can be flying out to each other every weekend. We'd lose a day in travel alone."

"So we'll find moments, and in between, we'll call every day. We'll video call, and stay on the phone with each other for hours. It'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine," Laxus reassured, cupping her cheek.

"What about the time difference?" Lucy sniffed.

"We'll work around it. Maybe you eat a super late dinner, and I'll eat a super early dinner, and it'll be like we're eating dinner together," Laxus laughed softly. "I still don't understand why you didn't tell me…"

"It's not fair to you. In the last year, the only thing you've been saying is how I should move here and be with you. And then I went and did the exact opposite. It's not fair to make you do long distance, and to make you wait. You're such an amazing boyfriend and you deserve someone who can be with you all the time." Lucy couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

For several moments, Laxus didn't say anything. He silently wiped her cheeks, but continued to just look at her intently, as if to discern her motives. "Are you breaking up with me?" he finally asked, voice deathly quiet.

In shock, Lucy leapt off his lap. "Excuse me? No! Why? Are _you_ breaking up with _me_? Fuck, I shouldn't have told you! I should've told you when I was leaving! Please, Laxus, just, can we have the next two weeks? Please don't break up with me right now!" Lucy begged, clasping his hands.

"You lunatic, I'm not breaking up with you! _I_ asked _you_! Why would I ask you if you were breaking up with me if I was breaking up with you! I'm not breaking up with you!" Laxus stood up to join the frantic Lucy.

"Are you sure? Because I will not blame you if you break up with me. Long distance is not easy," Lucy warned.

"Can we please stop saying 'break up'? Please? And yes, long distance is not easy, but I'd do anything for you, and wait for as long as you needed me to. You're it for me, Heartfilia, and one day, I will get you to that altar and prove to you that there will _never_ be another woman more perfect for me than you," Laxus's voice dropped towards the end as he approached Lucy and pulled her into an embrace.

"Was that a proposal?" she asked, muffled against his chest.

"Don't be disrespectful. As if I'd blurt out a proposal in the middle of my living room while we're both half-naked. I am classier than that," Laxus scoffed.

"Well, if it was, I'd have said yes. And when you do ask for real, my only request is-"

"Nothing public. I know. I wouldn't risk being rejected in front of a hundred strangers anyway."

Lucy laughed, smacking Laxus's arm. "You and I both know it'll never be a rejection."

"Well, I won't be a hundred percent convinced until I have a ring on your finger and your last name is Dreyer."

"Heartfilia-Dreyer, but okay, baby. If a ring and a name change is what it'll take to convince you I'm here for good, then we can arrange that," Lucy giggled.

"And seriously, my love, I am not worried about you being far away. I'm not worried about long distance. I love you. I love you more than I thought was ever possible. And we'll do whatever it takes to make this work. I know we will," Laxus held Lucy's face in his hands, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you too. And we _will_ make this work. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," Lucy whispered.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad I know." Then, pulling away from Lucy and offering her his hand, Laxus gestured towards the kitchen. "Shall we go celebrate with dinner and multiple glasses of wine?"

"It would be my pleasure, good sir," Lucy said, imitating the voice and airs of high society. She curtsied deeply before placing her hand in his, chortling when he rolled his eyes at her goofiness.

"You're too good to me, Dreyer," she panted mid-laugh. And in return, she received a soft swat on her butt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I will do my best to fairly divide my time between this one and Bunny and Dragon, but I am SO excited to be writing this again! I hope you enjoy the sequel as much as you enjoyed Lightning in a Summer Sky!


	2. Chapter 2

A loud rap on the front door startled the couple awake. It was followed by another firm knock and someone calling Laxus's name.

"Don't make me use the key, Laxus! It's nearly ten in the morning! I'm going to wait thirty more seconds and then I'll use the key!"

Lucy sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "Wha-? Who that?" she asked groggily.

"I'll deal with it," Laxus mumbled, tumbling out of bed. He grabbed a shirt on the way out, pulling it on over his head. Lucy fumbled around, searching for her hair tie before pulling her blonde hair into a topknot.

"Mira, couldn't you give me one day off?" she heard Laxus plead.

"Yes, the magazine has decided to be very accommodating and is allowing you to sleep in," Lucy heard the mystery woman reply. Desperate to place a face to this voice, Lucy tip-toed out of the room, standing in the doorway between the living room and the bedroom. And when she did so, Lucy instantly wished she was bathed. And dressed. And wearing makeup. And maybe was a dress size smaller and two inches taller. The woman talking to Laxus was, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful women Lucy had seen.

 _Maybe she's one of the models he shoots?_ she thought to herself.

"Mira, one day. C'mon. Talk to them. They love you. Let me just get a day's break. My girlfriend's in town, and I want to spend the day with her," Laxus begged. There was no denying who wore the metaphorical pants in their relationship. It was evident to Lucy that Mira held the reins, and though the beautiful woman intimidated her, it was fun watching Laxus grovel.

Lucy saw Mira's mouth open to, no doubt, refuse Laxus's request, when her gaze locked with Lucy's. She had crystal blue eyes that appeared icy when framed by her waist length white-blonde hair. Her alabaster skin and baby pink lips only added to the image of this majestic snow queen. Peach blush warmed her cheeks as light bounced off her high cheekbones and translucent skin. Lucy couldn't even be a hundred percent sure if she was actually wearing any makeup or not. She looked effortlessly, naturally flawless.

And then, Mira stepped around Laxus, making a beeline for Lucy.

"You must be Lucy Heartfilia! I have heard so much about you!" Mira approached Lucy and warmly embraced her. Lucy returned the hug somewhat awkwardly, fidgeting with her top and hair in the presence of Laxus's beautiful friend.

"I'm Mirajane," she continued.

"She's the assistant I told you about!" Laxus piped up from the back.

Mira glared at Laxus over her shoulder, immediately silencing him. " _Assistant_ is one way of saying it. I prefer manager, inspiration, or lifesaver. He likes pretending he'd function without me," Mira shrugged.

"I functioned without you perfectly fine even up until two months ago," Laxus tried.

"Oh yeah? Okay, when's the meeting with Jura?" Mira shot.

"It's on Monday," Laxus calmly replied.

"Wrong. It's today," Mira smirked.

"Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Why didn't you tell me?!" Laxus ran a hand through his hair before scrambling towards the bedroom.

"You never let me finish. I wish I could fail you or report you or something. God," Mira sighed exasperatedly. "I already moved your meeting with Jura to the end of the month because I knew you were picking Lucy up and I wanted you to spend time with her. I sent him a bottle of wine, just to ease the last minute postponing. Also I bought myself a bottle of wine. On your card. So, thank you boss man," she grinned.

Laxus sat down heavily on the couch. "Thank you, Mira," he looked up at her sincerely. "But if I don't have my meeting today, why in God's name did you wake me up?" he asked, brows furrowing.

"I brought you both breakfast," she said, pointing to the bag on the table, "And I wanted to meet Lucy. Plus, I'll never miss an opportunity to give you shit for how forgetful you are."

"I really need to fire you," Laxus groaned, his face dropping into his palms.

"Okay, sure. And how many days do you think you'll go before you hire me back?"

"Maybe two."

"You're reaching a bit there, but sure, two days. So, shall I take my two day paid vacation now, or…?"  
"I'm not firing you yet, so please, help yourself to coffee if you want and then come back tomorrow to bother me," Laxus grinned at his employee.

"About that… You're gonna love me, Laxus," Mira sang excitedly, with a wicked twinkle in her eyes.

"Why? What did you do?"

"I got you a three day vacation. I've moved all calls and meetings and I've made a few reservations in your name. Couple of restaurants, a spa, that kind of thing. The details are in your mailbox as of this morning, so now, you and your stunning girlfriend can enjoy some time together. But three days, that's it. You're back to work after that, because I need to get paid. Understood?" Mira placed her hands on her hips.

Laxus's shoulders relaxed and he looked ready to fling himself at Mira. "You're a blessing. You're a damn blessing and I'll never fire you, I swear," he said in gratitude.

"I know. I'm irreplaceable. Anyway, I'll leave you both to it! Lucy, it was so lovely meeting you! I hope we can spend more time together while you're here!" Mira said graciously, hugging Lucy once more.

"Also Laxus," Mira called on her way out, "I kind of bought myself three bottles of wine. Not one. And they weren't cheap. Just remember you love me!" With a wave and a cheeky grin, Mira shut the front door, leaving Lucy a little shell-shocked.

"So… That's Mira, huh?" she asked, toeing the ground awkwardly.

"Yeah. She's great, honestly. I really don't know what I was doing without an assistant all these years," Laxus shook his head.

Lucy laughed shortly. "She sure knows how to keep you in check. She's also ridiculously beautiful. I mean… Why is she your assistant and not some model that you photograph?!" Lucy asked incredulously.

"She's okay. Not as beautiful as my girlfriend though. My girl… Wow, now that's some good looks. Wish you could meet her," Laxus joked, eyes twinkling.

"Shut up. Mirajane is _objectively_ more attractive than me. She is probably one of the most gorgeous women I have ever seen. Is she even legally allowed to look like that?!" Lucy stuttered.

"Yeah, and you're _objectively_ blind," Laxus imitated her tone. "Yes, Mira is beautiful. I have eyes. But she still doesn't hold a candle to you. Lucy, you are my vision of perfection. So I don't care if you think she's objectively beautiful. I'm telling you that you are the most beautiful, radiant, jaw-droppingly perfect, sexy, brilliant woman I have ever known."

"So I don't need to be jealous of her perfect face and perfect hair and perfect body?" Lucy asked, biting her lip.

"If anything, she ought to be jealous of you," Laxus whispered huskily, wrapping his arms around Lucy's waist and nipping her lip.

"You flatter me far too much," Lucy purred, lightly brushing her lips against his.

"And I mean every word," he murmured before capturing her mouth.

"Mm, Laxus?" Lucy spoke into his mouth.

"Hmm?" he asked, moving down to kiss her neck.

"While I love nothing more than a hot wake up fuck, I am starving," she admitted.

"Is that so?" Laxus crooned, misunderstanding her.

"No, babe. I want food. Breakfast. Maybe a coffee," Lucy clarified, all the while begging her body to stop responding to Laxus. She was one caress away from foregoing food and letting Laxus bend her over the table and rail her. But her stomach was griping uncomfortably, desperately seeking some sustenance.

Instantly, Laxus righted him. "Yes, of course. Sorry, that's my bad. You're just so… Damn, how did I luck out?"

"A well-timed holiday and several glasses of wine," Lucy answered.

"Is it kinda bad that I'm almost grateful about everything that happened between you and Natsu? I mean, I hate that he hurt you, but thank god he did, right? You would have never come to Greece if he hadn't been such an asshole," Laxus said brightly, pulling out a box of muffins and parchment wrapped bagels from the bag Mira left on his table.

"Interesting take on a very dark and sad time of my life," Lucy deadpanned. When she saw Laxus scramble for an explanation, she let her face soften and cupped his cheek in her palm. "I know what you mean though. And yes, it is kinda bad that you're grateful for it, but guess what? I'm kind of grateful too. If I was sent back in time, knowing everything I know, I'd go through that same heartbreak all over again, because it would lead me to you," she said gently. Laxus covered her hand with his and brought her palm to his mouth where he kissed it softly.

"I love you," he breathed.

"I love you," she responded.

* * *

Lucy sat at Laxus's desk in his home office, restricting access to his laptop.

"Babe, Mira is going to kill me if these mails don't go out," he said in a panicky voice. He had just finished going through twelve angry texts from Mira, yelling at him for extending his three-day vacation into a five-day one.

"What am I gonna do while you work?" Lucy whined, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff.

"Read, write, go for a walk, call Mira and ask her to take you out, but please babe. Give me a few hours to work on this and I swear, I won't touch my phone or laptop in the evening," Laxus committed.

"I can hang out with Mira? Don't you need her?" Lucy asked, an idea already forming in her head.

"Yes, go. I'll text her and tell her to take the first half of the day off. Plus, I'm fairly certain she doesn't actually have any more work for the day. The only item on her to-do list was 'yell at Laxus' and she's done enough of that, so please. Take her and make sure she doesn't text me for the rest of the day. I'm begging you. That woman can be terrifying," Laxus said, hurrying Lucy off the desk and out of the door. "Come kiss me goodbye before you leave!" he called, blowing his girlfriend a kiss before returning to his chair and slipping on his headphones.

Lucy sighed, pulling out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts, searching for Mira's name. Just as she was about to hit the dial button, her phone vibrated and Mira's caller ID flashed at the top of the screen. With a hesitant breath, Lucy answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Lucy!" came the bright response.

 _Fuck, she even sounds beautiful…_ Lucy thought mournfully to herself.

"Laxus messaged saying you wanted to hang out?" Mira continued.

"Uh," Lucy nervously cleared her throat, "yeah, I did. I hope that's okay."

"Of course it is! I've been wanting to get to know from the day Laxus first mentioned you! I'd love to spend the afternoon together! Do you want to do Mexican or sushi?" Mira asked.

"I would love some queso, but the real question is, are their margaritas any good?" Lucy giggled.

She was met by a full bodied, pretty, bell-like laugh. "A girl after my own heart! Yes, their margaritas are fantastic! So, shall I pick you up in an hour?"

"Yes, perfect! I shall be ready and waiting," Lucy declared. There was something about Mira that just seemed to put people at ease, and Lucy felt her early nervousness slip away.

* * *

Lucy quickly glanced at her reflection in the window as she and Mira entered the thematically decorated Mexican restaurant. Lucy had really put effort into her look, making sure her makeup was subtle but pretty, her dress was not too flashy but still showed off her body, and her hair was brushed to fall in soft waves down her back. Lucy knew she looked really nice. It was all to impress Mira, of course. Lucy had this nagging urge to look as pretty and perfect as her lunch partner, and when she caught sight of their reflection in the window, she breathed a sigh of relief. The image reflected back at her was two pretty girls laughing and chatting, not one gorgeous supermodel and one swamp troll.

As they took their seat, Lucy confessed bashfully, "I dressed up for you. I'm sorry I looked so terrible the first time we met."

Mira's jaw hit the table. "Are you insane? _I_ dressed up for _you_! I mean, who looks gorgeous in their pajamas and a topknot?! It took me thirty minutes to pick this outfit because I didn't want to look like a sewer rat," the platinum haired woman laughed.

"I don't think you could ever look like a sewer rat," Lucy giggled.

Mira looked at her affectionately before reaching across the table to gently squeeze Lucy's hand. "I'm so glad we got to do this. Laxus talks about you non-stop, it's like I already know you!"

A wave of warmth and love flooded Lucy and she understood why Laxus was already so fond of his assistant. She was kind and happy and affectionate. Ten minutes with this girl and it would be impossible to not love her.

Several margaritas graced their table, interspersed with tiny plates of tapas. Conversation flowed naturally as the two women bonded over books, travel, art, and more. As they talked, Lucy fell further in love with the woman across from her. In the back of her mind, she was contemplating creating a 'Mirajane Fan Club'. She'd be President and Laxus could be Secretary.

"I'm so glad Laxus hired you. You're good for him. Keeping him in check," Lucy said, slurring her words slightly as tequila coursed through her.

Mira, equally tipsy, played with the little cocktail umbrella on her glass. "Working with Laxus is a million times better than the dumb corporate job I was working."

"What did you do?" Lucy asked.

"Technically I was the receptionist, but I had no responsibility and no respect. I was just some glorified show piece," Mira scowled.

"Assholes," Lucy muttered. "How did you get the job with Laxus though? He hadn't mentioned wanting an assistant, and one day, he suddenly had one," she hiccupped as she finished.

"I quit my job, sick of being treated so miserably, and went out drinking with my girls to celebrate. Laxus was shooting for the club we went to, and he happened to be there that night. I instantly noticed him, of course. Who wouldn't? Tall, built, blond, handsome."

Lucy immediately stiffened, not liking the direction this was going in. Mira, however, didn't notice.

"So, after a few drinks, I had a solid buzz going and felt brave enough to go talk to him. I tried flirting but he just kept blowing me off, which was strange. But then, he asked me to sit and tell him about myself. Truthfully, I don't fully remember what I told him. I just remember very awkwardly slipping him my number and telling him to call me. I think I may have winked too," Mira added with a laugh. Lucy reciprocated with a short laugh of her own, but nothing about this story was even remotely funny.

"Anyway, the next morning, I wake up to a call from Laxus. We met at a coffee shop, he asked me a few more questions, and by the end of breakfast I had a job," Mira concluded, taking another sip of her drink.

"Must be nice working for a hottie, huh? Just a couple of stunning people working alone together all day, every day?" Lucy asked, her tone somewhat icy.

"Oh, no. Not after I have had to sort through his emails and his planner and reorganise his phone. It is physically impossible for me to be attracted to him after he's put me through that horrifying experience. You really don't have anything to worry about, Lucy. I swear," Mira said, trying to quickly reassure Lucy, who was only somewhat mollified.

And then Lucy heard Laxus's voice in her head. _She_ was his vision of perfection. And jealousy was an ugly emotion. So, in a concentrated effort to quash those feelings, Lucy placed her hand in Mira's and squeezed.

"I know. And I'm truly happy he has you. You're good for him. Thank you for taking care of him," Lucy smiled kindly.

"I really hope nothing of what I said has driven some kind of wedge between us… You're really nice, Lucy, and I hope we can continue being friends. I promise, you have no reason to worry. He is devoted to you. I have never seen a man as besotted with someone as Laxus is with you," Mira laughed awkwardly. "What the two of you have… Girls like me can only dream about a love that beautiful," the woman finished wistfully.

"He's out there," Lucy said comfortingly.

"Or she," Mira corrected. "I have just about given up on men, and honestly, I've had far better luck in relationships with women."

Lucy leaned forward and dropped her voice, still a little shaky from the multiple cocktails.

"I've heard women give you better orgasms. Is that true?" she whispered with a giggle.

"Complete fact," Mira loudly whispered back, before bursting out in laughter. As Lucy joined in, she couldn't help but marvel at this magical ability Mira had. It was practically impossible to dislike the girl.

* * *

"I had a great afternoon, Mira! Thank you," Lucy said warmly, hugging the taller woman.

Mira wrapped her arms around Lucy's waist, squeezing gently. "I did too, Lucy. I'm so glad you wanted to hang out! I hope we can do this again."

Lucy pulled back, taking Mira's hands in hers. "Of course. I'd love to do this again."

"Laxus is a lucky guy," Mira complimented, letting go of Lucy's hands.

"Be sure to remind him of that frequently," Lucy joked.

Mira laughed, waving jovially as she slid back into the cab. Lucy stood outside the door, waving as she watched the car pull away.

Then, opening the door and entering the house, Lucy headed to Laxus's study. She knocked briefly on the closed door, but when she wasn't met with a response, she turned the handle and went in. There were strange butterflies in her stomach as she did so, unsure of what she'd find on the other side of the closed door. Lucy heaved a sigh of relief when the only thing she saw was a very focused Laxus with headphones covering his ears. Instantly, she felt guilty for the nervousness she'd felt. Obviously there wouldn't have been anything in the study but a focused Laxus.

 _How could you even allow yourself to implicitly, vaguely, indirectly even suggest that there was anything to be worried about?! You're a terrible girlfriend,_ Lucy yelled at herself.

She beat herself up for a couple more seconds as she approached her boyfriend. So as to not startle him, she went around him and stood by the side of his desk. Laxus still jumped a little when he saw her out of the corner of his eye, but when the sudden shock passed, he pulled off his headphones and slid his chair back, allowing Lucy to curl up on his lap.

"You smell like a tequila factory," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm only slightly buzzed," Lucy justified with a pout.

"Did you have a good afternoon with Mira? Did you both bitch about me?" Laxus asked, smiling when Lucy made contented purring sounds as he traced circles on her back.

"Yes and yes."

"Hey! She's my employee, she's allowed to bitch. What were you bitching about?" Laxus asked, highly affronted.

"I was bitching about you not giving me enough kisses. And working too hard. And being too far away," Lucy whined, still slurring her words a little.

"I think my princess needs a shower and a nap. And maybe greasy chinese takeout?" Laxus was already scooping Lucy up in his arms and walking towards the bedroom.

"And sex," Lucy added.

Laxus had no response, settling for just a dramatic roll of his eyes that he ensured Lucy saw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I'm really excited to be writing this? Because I have been writing non-stop. There's just something about this universe and these versions of these characters that makes the story flow really naturally in my head. I am having SUCH a good time with this and I already have key moments mapped out! I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter and Mirajane!


	3. Chapter 3

A waiter in a crisp white shirt finished topping up two flutes of champagne before leaving the table with a bow and a quiet "bon appetit." Lucy smiled at him graciously before turning her attention back to the gorgeous man sitting across from her.

"This is so nice, Laxus. You really didn't have to," she said, referring to the ridiculously fancy restaurant they were sitting in. Laxus was in trousers and a matching blazer with polished leather shoes, while Lucy was in a floor length gown and red-soled heels.

"I realised that we hadn't done anything significant to celebrate our one year anniversary. Figured we deserved this," Laxus shrugged.

"Yeah, a year of long distance is genuinely an achievement," Lucy laughed, leaning across the table to give Laxus a high-five, in stark contrast to their formal, austere environment.

"It's difficult, but I'll do it for as long as I need to. I'd wait for you forever, Lucy," Laxus said sincerely, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Lucy's features fell as she realised the limited time they had left together. "I hate that tomorrow is our last day together," she whispered sadly.

"I hate that I have to work on our last day together. I tried, Lucy. I swear I tried moving it, but the model is only in town tomorrow and the magazine is adamant on having her."

"Maybe…" Lucy started. "Maybe I could come with you? I've never really seen you work, besides the stuff in Greece at Maki's winery. Only if that's okay with you and won't distract you!" Lucy quickly added at the end, not wanting him to feel obligated.

"Are you sure? You'll probably just end up sitting in a chair for a couple hours. I'd love to have you there, but are you sure you don't want to do something more fun?" Laxus asked.

"Pssh! Sitting in a chair and watching you? Two of my favourite activities," Lucy said brightly. "You're sure you don't mind me being there?"

Laxus broke out into a wide smile. "Nothing would make me happier, babe."

* * *

Lucy settled into the chair next to Mira who was sipping on a coffee that she'd picked up from the long table of drinks and snacks.

"They just give you free food?" she asked Mira in shock.

"The magazine is so stupidly rich that they don't even bat an eyelid for this kind of thing. Literally, try asking someone for something ridiculous, like one of those fancy flavoured lattes or a sushi platter. You'll have it in your hands in under five minute," Mira replied before biting into a cookie.

"You must love shoot days, huh?"

"Not really. They're boring, and it's the one thing that Laxus doesn't let me help with. I'm only here to pick up the cheque. I'll be leaving in like five minutes."

"What do you mean he doesn't let you help?" Lucy asked.

"When he's shooting, he has to be entirely in control. He calls all the shots and handles everything on his own. He won't let someone so much as move a prop. He'll do it all himself."

"Sounds like Laxus," Lucy said with a snort. She pulled her hair back into a bun and slid her sunglasses onto the bridge of her nose. It was ridiculously sunny on the beach, and while the umbrella Lucy was under protected her from the sun rays, it did little against the fierce heat. Glints of light bouncing off the ocean would blind Lucy every now and then, and the smell of salt hung heavily in the humid air. The shoot area itself looked stunning, with an eggshell mattress and mesh curtains that seemed to be out of every romcom. White rose petals were being tossed everywhere by a frightened looking intern who had an earpiece on and flinched every time someone shouted into it. Not five feet from this beauty were people buzzing about, talking above each other, adjusting lights and foil sheets. Clothes racks with various swimsuits were being rolled back and forth and one beautiful model stood in a corner under an umbrella as someone fixed her hair, a cigarette dangling from her lips.

Lucy's gaze finally landed on her boyfriend and she felt the wind leave her lungs. If anything, he ought to have been the model at this shoot. It didn't surprise Lucy that every single person would furtively glance at Laxus multiple times a minute. With his blond hair mussed over his forehead and black sunglasses perched on his face, he looked like someone had pulled him out of a magazine and dropped him on the beach. His white linen shirt clung to his broad shoulders beautifully and his blue denim jeans made his long, toned legs look even better. Lucy wanted to cry at how gorgeous he was. With his camera in one hand, fitted with a large professional lens and a bottle of water in the other, Laxus was firing rapid instructions at everyone around.

"Is the model ready?" he called loudly, not bothering to look over his shoulder.

"She's here, Laxus," a more domineering woman replied. She was one of the few people who didn't cower before his awe-inspiring presence.

"Who's that?" Lucy whispered to Mira, gesturing to the woman escorting the model towards Laxus.

"Erza. She's a senior editor with the magazine and the only person Laxus doesn't get frustrated with. He claims every other person he's worked with is either incompetent or too busy staring at him or the model to do their jobs effectively. Though, if we're being honest, I'm pretty sure he requests for her only because she doesn't try to make small talk. Laxus likes wrapping up a shoot within a couple hours at most, and small talk generally delays that," Mira answered. Then hopping off her chair, she waved towards Erza before turning quickly to Lucy. "Okay, hun, I gotta run. I'm gonna quickly get the cheque from Erza and then I need to go and deal with a bunch of emails and appointment schedules. You're gonna be okay?"

Lucy nodded, smiling at the white-blonde.

"Good. Have fun, and remember, these guys will get you _anything_ , so feel free to indulge." Then, with a quick kiss to Lucy's cheeks, Mira bounced away towards the statuesque redhead who led her towards a trailer.

Getting comfortable in her chair, Lucy began watching Laxus work. He directed the model - a young blonde with a sizable rack that was only barely covered by the tiny red bikini she was wearing - across the bed. He had the model on her knees, angled towards the camera, then standing up, against a bedpost, looking at him over her shoulder. Thirty minutes and a few more shots later, Laxus asked for an outfit change, and while the model was in her trailer, he came jogging up to Lucy.

"Having fun?" he asked, plucking her iced coffee out of her hand and taking a sip.

"So fun. You know you're incredibly hot when you work?" Lucy smirked.

"Oh really?" Laxus pushed his glasses up onto the top of his head and leaned down to kiss Lucy.

"I wouldn't say no to you recreating this at home either," Lucy whispered seductively, toying with his shirt collar.

"Shall I hire the crew and everything? Make it as realistic as possible?"

"If this is your way of making a sextape, Laxus, I'm going to beat you," Lucy threatened jokingly.

"At least our sextape won't be some garbage. It'll be classy. Good lighting, white roses, the whole nine yards," he chuckled, kissing his girlfriend again.

As Lucy was about to respond, Erza's firm voice cut through the air. "Laxus. We're ready for you."

Laxus winked at Lucy before heading back towards the set. As he walked away, Lucy spotted the model over his shoulder, now in a white and gold bikini that was miraculously even smaller than the last one and _still_ kept everything covered. A delicate necklace hung over the cleavage and strappy white heels adorned her feet. Her blonde hair fell in wavy ringlets over her shoulders and down her back. She was beautiful. Lucy felt a pang of _something_ as she watched the model walk over to Laxus. He extended a hand, helping her up onto the mattress, where she quickly got comfortable.

"Okay, move your hair over your left shoulder. Good good. Drop your chin. Okay, perfect. Hold that. Now I want you to stretch your legs out. Bend the back knee a little. Awesome. You're doing great," Laxus continuously instructed. Lucy watched the model stretch her body and contort it and look at Laxus like she was inviting him to bed.

 _The camera. She's looking at the camera and inviting it to bed. That's her job,_ Lucy tried reasoning, but the nagging voice in the back of her head couldn't help but create this intense chemistry between model and photographer.

"Lie down on your back now. Yeah, up on your elbows. Perfect," Laxus directed before jumping up onto the mattress. Lucy's throat constricted when he stood above the model, straddling her thighs as he got shots of her torso.

"Arch your back a little. Some more. Tip your head back, and yes, perfect. Hold that." The camera shutter clicked repeatedly. The model was on her back, chest arched up towards Laxus, breasts heaving beneath the tiny white bikini top, her perfect hair framing her perfect face as she looked at Laxus with _fuck me_ eyes and parted red lips. And the way Laxus would occasionally reach down to move a strand of hair off the model's face. Lucy knew it was irrational, but the entire thing was becoming a little too uncomfortable for her, and so she decided to ignore it, turning her attention to her phone. She didn't look up until she heard Laxus call, "Okay, I think we got it. We're done here, folks."

Lucy snapped her gaze up in time to see Laxus help the model off the mattress. She was handed a robe that she quickly slipped on, tying firmly at the waist.

"Thank you, Laxus. I really love working with you," Lucy heard the model say sincerely.

"Anytime, Jenny. You're great to shoot. I think we got some killer shots today," Laxus replied, clapping the model on the shoulder.

"I can't wait to see them! See you around, Laxus," the model smiled, and with a wave, walked off towards her trailer.

Laxus immediately made his way to Lucy, but his expression was serious, if not a little hurt.

"You were on your phone the entire time," he said as he neared her.

"Laxus, I-"

"I mean, I know it's not necessarily exciting work. It's kinda the same thing over and over again, but you wanted to be here, and I was excited that you were here and it sucked to turn around and see you staring at your phone."

"I wasn't staring at my phone because I was bored, Laxus," Lucy said defensively, her voice already shaking.

"Then? Because it hurt, Lu. I am proud of what I do and it's not fun when the girl I love isn't even pretending to care."

"Can we not do this here? Please?" Lucy asked, noticing some of the people from set watching this exchange curiously.

"Fine. Wait in the car, I'll be there in five." And with that, Laxus stalked off, gathering his things. Lucy slowly pulled her bag off the back of the chair and slipped it onto her shoulder. She sensed a fight coming and she wanted to just run away. Run back in time, with Laxus, to Greece, where everything was perfect. Instead, she slumped off towards the car, sliding into the passenger seat and cranking the air conditioning. Time seemed to crawl by, and every minute felt like an hour until she heard the driver's side door open and Laxus get in.

"So?" he asked, not beating around the bush.

"Do you know how hot you are?" Lucy questioned.

"What does that have to do with anything, Lucy?"

"Everyone wants to fuck you! All the time! Everywhere we go! And for the most part, I can ignore it. But when you're straddling this gorgeous model and asking her to stick her tits out, it starts becoming difficult to just overlook the 'please fuck me' eyes she's giving you!" Lucy yelled.

"That's my job, Lucy! I am _paid_ to photograph these women, but more importantly, I'm paid to photograph the clothes they're wearing! Or the jewellry! Or the shoes! Or the bags! That's why magazines hire me! How can you fault me for doing my job?!" Laxus screamed back.

"I don't know, Laxus, maybe because you asked the 20 year old model with double D boobs to arch her back a little, and drop her chin, and stretch out her endlessly long legs!"

"Because I need to sell the bikini she's wearing! And for the light to hit the product, she needs to contort her body a certain way. I need to sell the shoes she's wearing. I need to create sex appeal, because a phone camera photo of this woman on the sand would not sell! I need to make her and the shit she's wearing look good so that the magazine sells whatever they need to and they hire me for their next shoot! It's a job, Lucy, for fuck's sake," Laxus threw his hands up in exasperation.

Lucy sat silently for several moments. Then, after a deep breath, she spoke. "I know. I know it's your job, and I know you're doing what you need to do."

"Then what's the issue?"

"The issue is… They all want to fuck you, and… Aren't you attracted to any of them?" Lucy whispered, not looking at Laxus. Tears were rapidly forming in her eyes and she was trying desperately to blink them away. When Laxus didn't answer, Lucy continued talking, desperate to fill the awkward silence.

"I mean, I know I'm here now. But when I'm not? And you're lonely? There are all these beautiful women around you all the time. I mean, even Mira. I like Mira, I do. But she told me how she got the job. You're just calling beautiful women who slip you their numbers at bars… I mean, what do you want me to think? Today it's for a job, but tomorrow…?" Lucy trailed off.

"Did Mira tell you what she said to me that night at the club?" Laxus asked, his voice cold as ice.

Lucy shook her head, still not looking at Laxus.

"She came up to me, drunk as a skunk, told me I was hot. I said thanks. She then sat down, and promptly started crying. Mira has two college degrees, she graduated with an impressive GPA, she's terribly smart, but because of how she looks, she was always hired as just the face of any business. Never any responsibility. Everyone thought she was an airhead. No one took her seriously. She wasn't able to do any work of significance because people thought she was hot, dumb blonde. She cried for twenty minutes at that bar. And when she slipped me her number, she wasn't hitting on me. She asked me to call her if she knew anyone who'd give her some work of substance. She didn't care how much they paid, she just wanted to be able to do something of value. And my heart went out to her. You know me, Lucy. When have I ever needed an assistant? But I figured, even if I'm a stepping stone, she can use the contacts she makes working for me to find herself a job that she enjoys with people who value her. And until then, she'll have a job with me, and I'll make sure she does something even moderately worthwhile. That's why she gave me her number, that's why I called her back," Laxus finished stonily.

Finally, Lucy turned to him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I just… You don't understand what it means to be in my position, so you wouldn't understand why I felt that way."

Instantly, Lucy knew she'd said the wrong thing. The ice in Laxus's eyes melted away into a raging fire.

" _I_ don't know?! Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know what the worst day of my life was? It was the day, in Greece, when that dumbfuck ex-boyfriend of yours showed up. And not only did I stop myself from beating the shit out of him, I even offered to try and get you to talk to him! Why? Because I thought he was important to _you_! I wanted to punch the living daylights out of him, but he was important to _you_ and so I didn't. And then, when you just come and tell me that you 'call me later' before disappearing for several hours? Lucy we weren't even in a committed, exclusive relationship then! I sat on my couch, for what seemed like an eternity, not moving, barely even breathing, because I was terrified that you'd gone back to him! I didn't know if you loved me or not. All I knew was that the love of my life and her ex-boyfriend of _four years_ who was also the man she pictured herself _marrying_ were somewhere on the island, and it was not unlikely that they could potentially reconcile and run off together. I thought I was going to die on that fucking couch, Lucy. Every minute you didn't call, I thought you'd gone back to him. So don't tell me I don't understand what it means to be insecure and jealous. And now, you _know_ I love you. You know you're the love of my life. You have even less to be worried about! I didn't know, Lucy! I didn't know if you loved me enough to come back to me! But if you aren't sure if I love you enough to come back to you, then we have bigger problems."

Tears were now pouring down Lucy's face. "Do you, though? Do you love me enough to always come back to me?" she rasped.

Laxus looked at her like he didn't recognise the person in front of him. "I can't believe you'd even ask me that… You know what? I don't feel like going out to dinner tonight. Let's just go home, get some takeout, and I'll drive you to the airport tomorrow."

"Laxus, I-"

"I _really_ don't want to do this, Lucy. It's one thing for you to be jealous about the people I work with. I can even understand that, I guess. My job requires me to be around beautiful people, and I can't fault you for being a little jealous. I would be too, if I were in your position. But questioning my loyalty to you? Even _assuming_ I'd ever cheat on you with one of them? Doubting how much I love you, despite me telling you and showing you every minute of every day? I don't know what more to do, Lucy. I don't know how many more times in how many more ways I need to prove that you're the love of my life. So let's just not, okay? Please. I love you, Lucy. And I'd never, ever, ever do anything to hurt you. But me saying it isn't enough. You need to trust me, and that's not something I can control."

Lucy was at a loss for words, and Laxus had said everything he needed to say. They drove back to Laxus's home in silence, with only the occasional soft sob from Lucy reverberating through the frigid car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we feeling more sympathetic towards Lucy or Laxus? And yes, this sequel is shaping up to be more spicy and dramatic and maybe even angsty than Lightning in a Summer Sky, but c'est la vie, right? I'm so excited for your reviews so please send me all your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 4

Laxus barely slept all night. His one moment of peace was the hour where Lucy, in her sleep, curled up in his side, and he felt like the world was back in order. But then she rolled away, and he woke up, unable to go back to sleep as their fight replayed in his head. It had seemed like the kind of fight that put their relationship on a balancing beam. One wrong move, and they'd hurtle towards disaster. And there, lying in bed, Laxus couldn't decide which was worse: having Lucy in his life, but having her never trust him, or not having her in his life at all. Dawn took far too long to come, but when it did, Laxus slipped out of bed and, after changing in the dark, slipped on his sneakers and went out for a run.

He ran and ran until his lungs were on fire, as if he could push himself fast enough to run away from all the ugly shit looming over him. Eventually, with burning muscles and a head full of loud, screaming, angry music, Laxus was finally able to dull the fight down into a low whisper. When he came back home a couple hours later, he thought he felt better, but he opened the door and saw Lucy everywhere, and once more, his heart broke. She was in the cushions that he hated, but she thought were cute, and she was in the half-drunk mug of coffee, still sitting on the end table from the day before. Her scrunchies were by his car keys, and their jackets were draped next to one another on the hooks behind the door. _She_ is what made his house a home and he felt every organ inside him shatter. As if in a dream, he walked to the bedroom. It was time to wake her up so she could pack. Kicking his sneakers off, Laxus entered, unsure if they'd ignore each other, dance around each other, fight, have sex, or break up. Instead, he found Lucy, sitting cross-legged in bed and waiting for him.

"You're up," he commented.

"Woke up soon after you left," she replied softly.

"Do you need help packing?" Laxus asked, gesturing to Lucy's things still messily strewn across the house.  
Lucy shook her head. She held out her hand, palm up, gesturing for Laxus to take it. Uncertainly, he placed his hand in hers, letting her pull him onto the bed. He sat down and she immediately scrambled into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm not leaving. Not after yesterday," she whispered.

"What about your job? And someone for your dad?" Laxus asked, tightening his hold on her.

"I'll resign from here if I have to. Super contagious flu. And I'll call some neighbours, ask them to drop in on dad. I'm staying here until you can take time off, and then you come home with me, and we'll pack together, and then we'll go on holiday, and only when I have to leave for college will we go back to this long distance shit. But until then, we're together," she said definitively.

"Yes. Okay." Laxus couldn't say much more, but his heart was exploding. He dropped his face into Lucy's hair.

"You were right, Laxus. You do love me, and I need to trust you. And that's a me problem. With Natsu… I loved him. I was in love with that idiot. And I wanted to marry him. And then he broke my heart. He was the asshole who cheated on me with a virtual stranger, and I thought I'd never get over it. But I did. I got over it because of you. And I'm scared. After one year with you, I love you more than I ever loved Natsu. And I'm scared of what'll happen to me if my heart breaks again. I may die, Laxus. I'm scared I'll die if you break my heart. And so I get jealous, and nervous, and insecure, and I am wary. But I love you Laxus, and I do trust you. I do. I just need to stop being scared. But here, now? In your arms? I'm not scared, Laxus. When you're with me, I'm not scared. I don't know what's in either of our futures, but I know we're together. There is no other option for me. You're it. I love you and I know you love me. You're the love of my life, and I want to be with you forever," she finished. When she pulled her head off Laxus's chest, she saw his eyes shine with moisture.

"I love you too," his voice cracked a little. He captured her lips in a frantic kiss, weaving his fingers through her hair and pressing her to him, as if he could somehow fuse her to him and never let her go.

"I'm sorry," Lucy fluttered against Laxus's lips.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her mouth.

Then, ever so gently, Laxus pulled off Lucy's T-shirt. Lucy returned the favour by removing Laxus's running shirt, peeling the still sweaty fabric off his chiseled torso. There were no jokes, no quips, no talking of any kind as the couple undressed each other. The room was filled with quiet static as they ran their hands over the other's body. They didn't need words. There weren't words to tell each other how sorry they were, how much they loved one another, how much they couldn't live without the other. They just hoped and prayed that every touch and every kiss held the unspoken multitudes of their affection.

Lucy, still on Laxus's lap, gently pushed him back down onto the mattress. At some point their pants came off, shortly followed by their underwear, and now, Lucy straddled Laxus's naked hips. His growing erection was pressed up against her stomach as she leaned down to kiss him with as much as passion as she could muster. She reached down between their bodies to stroke his member while he ran his hands softly down her spine and over the curve of round butt. He could feel her wetness drip onto his pelvis as she gently swiveled her hips, feeling his erection come to life under her delicate fingers. When Laxus was ready, Lucy sat back, and making sure to look deep into his eyes, lifted herself before sinking down on his length. With a gasp, Laxus sat up, wrapping his arms around Lucy's waist. Now nose-to-nose and chest-to-chest, they slowly moved in harmony. Laxus thrust up into her as she bucked her hips. Lucy kept her hands in Laxus's hair, and he kept his hands on her waist.

It wasn't often that they had sweet, slow, deliberate sex, and the way Laxus was looking at her now, as his hands caressed her like she was a porcelain figurine, made Lucy want to cry. She hated that she had doubted him. She hated that they weren't together. She loved the way he made her feel like the only woman in the world. She wasn't sure if she deserved someone as good as him. Tears pricked her eyes, and when Laxus tilted his face to gently kiss her cheek, they began leaking out of her eyes and down her face.

"What's wrong?" Laxus whispered, halting his movements. "Do you want to stop?"

Quickly Lucy swiped a hand across her face, drying her tears. She shook her head violently. "No, don't stop. I just… I love you, Laxus. And I'm sorry. You're amazing."

Laxus reached up to wipe her face before tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you, Lucy." And then, pressing his lips to hers, he mumbled " _You're_ amazing. You're everything I dreamt of and more," before capturing her mouth in a fiery kiss.

Suddenly their sex grew frantic, as if they couldn't get enough of one another. Laxus's hands gripped Lucy's hips hard enough to bruise as she tightly wound his hair around her fingers. Their breathing grew laboured as deep grunts and breathy moans overtook the silence that had filled the room mere seconds ago. Laxus pushed Lucy onto her back, hovering above her to momentarily admire her flushed face before slamming his cock into her warmth. Lucy arched off the bed with a pleasured cry. She raised her hips, inviting him to bury himself in her as deeply as he could. Flesh slapped against flesh, reverberating through the morning air. Lucy held Laxus's hips, pulling him into her. Sweat slicked their skin as she called his name like a prayer. She begged him to go deeper, to go harder, to hold her close and never let her go. Laxus drove into her, wanting to feel every inch of her perfect pussy wrapped around his cock. She raked her nails down his back as he marked her milky skin with bites. Lucy's hands tangled in the sheets as the head of Laxus's cock hit the sensitive spot inside her perfectly. She wound her legs around him, desperately trying to keep him deep inside her. Every moment of anger, frustration, sadness, love, lust, jealousy, all came bursting out of them as they pulled each other closer to their climaxes. They fit together like two puzzle pieces, and when they came, they came together, crying each other's names.

Laxus rolled off Lucy, his now softening dick slipping out of her. They lay in bed, holding each other for several moments.

"We should wash up," Lucy finally whispered hoarsely.

"Lead the way," Laxus mumbled back sleepily.

"I can't walk," Lucy confessed. As if to prove a point, she bent her knees, showing Laxus the way her legs trembled as orgasmic aftershocks continued to shiver through her.

Laxus laughed, leaning over to kiss her sweetly before leaving bed and crossing over to her side. Slipping an arm under her knees and another under her back, he lifted her, cradling her to his chest. He walked them both to the bathroom, gently putting her down on the counter as he turned on the shower.

Once under the warm spray, with Laxus lathering shampoo through her hair, Lucy brought up their conversation once more.

"Whenever you can, we'll go back to my house. I'll pack, get everything in order, and then-"

"And then we'll go on vacation somewhere. Even if it's just for a week. I'll talk to Mira today and figure out when's the earliest I can take a break. You might just have to wait for like another ten days, just until the month is over. I'll try taking next month off."

"So we'll have all of August together? Term starts in September."

"I'll make sure I'm free until the first of September. I intend to drop you off at university before getting back."

"Okay. Thank you, Laxus. I'm sorry you're putting your life on hold for me," Lucy turned around to look at him apologetically.

" _You_ are my life. I'm putting work on hold. Work is nowhere near as important as you. Plus I'm sure Mira will figure something out for me. We'll be fine," he assured her, kissing the top of her head. Lucy hugged him tight, resting her head on his chest. They stood embracing one another until the water ran cold. It wasn't like they hadn't fought before - they'd had bitter fights in the past, with yelling and screaming and angry sex. But for some reason, this fight had shaken them both more than they were willing to admit. It felt like something had fractured, and they were desperately trying to plaster it back together. They breathed deeply until their breaths and heartbeats were in sync, and finally, they began to feel at peace.

* * *

Laxus walked out of his home office, slipping his phone into his back pocket.

"Was that Mira?" Lucy asked, looking up from her book.

"Yep. She's pissed, but she said she'll move things around. I have all of August off," Laxus said with a grin, flopping down next to his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry, Laxus," Lucy started again, before he held a hand up.

"You may need to apologise to Mira, given that she is ready to kill me and do severe bodily harm to you, but you don't need to apologise to me. I would much rather spend a month relaxing with you than a month working. Plus, I feel like I've earned this preemptive holiday," Laxus finished suggestively.

"Preemptive? What are we preempting?" Lucy asked, catching on.

"Mira has heard through the grapevine that this reality show needs a photographer. She's sent them my portfolio, and if that goes through, my life will become insane, so a little holiday before all that is warranted, no?" His tone was casual, but Lucy could detect the note of excitement colouring his otherwise laidback, smug voice.

Lucy jumped up onto her knees and slapped Laxus in the chest. "What?! That's huge! Oh my god! Are we talking Real Housewives or rich socialites with no talent and fake asses?" she asked excitedly.

"More like twelve models being put through unnecessarily challenging photoshoots with producers who only fuel their body dysmorphia," Laxus shrugged.

Lucy sat back down. "Oh. So you're not gonna be just a sidelines photographer? You'll get a ton of screen time too," she clarified.

"Nah, I doubt it. It's about the models," Laxus said, shaking his head.

Lucy clapped a hand over her face. "How do you intend to photograph for them if you never watch these kinds of shows? On all the model shows, the photographer plays a _huge_ part! They sometimes even judge the models and all the models try and win the photographer over to make sure their photos come out the best. I mean, for a show where women are judged on their _photographs_ , you think the _photographer_ isn't important? We're binge watching multiple seasons next month. You need to be prepared."

An uneasy relief washed over Laxus, but still, he hesitated. A question was on the tip of his tongue but he wasn't sure if asking it would stoke a dying fire. Succumbing, he hesitantly began, "Lucy-"

"I'm so happy for you, babe. And I'm not scared or jealous or insecure. It doesn't bother me that you're going to be around those models. Like you said, it's your job. And if this is a big opportunity for you, and it's something you're excited about, then I will support you and be excited with you. Don't worry," she cupped his jaw, stroking his face with her thumb.

Laxus covered her hand with his, his heart full of love. "Well, we don't know if I'll get it yet, but thank you. It was important to me that you were on board with this too."

"I mean, of course you're going to get it," Lucy said rolling her eyes. She climbed onto Laxus's lap, straddling his thighs. "You're the best photographer I know."

With a laugh, Laxus encircled her waist. He pulled her towards him, pressing their chests together and hugging her close. "I'm the only photographer you know, silly," he said, gently biting her earlobe.

"Doesn't matter. You're still the best. And this job is yours."

As the smell of her strawberry shampoo wafted into his nose and her warm arms hugged his neck, and her soft body pressed into his, Laxus was once more reminded of just how lucky he was. She was perfect. Her voice, soft and feathery and playful, her eyes, bright and twinkling. He wasn't sure if he deserved her, but he was a selfish man. He tightened his hold on her and buried his face in her hair.

"Thank you, babe. I love you."

"I love you too," came the muffled response, with Lucy's face smushed into Laxus's neck. She smiled contentedly as she inhaled his nice, clean, showered, lemony summer smell. Wrapped in that hug, Lucy couldn't even begin to fathom how she had let such an intense wave of jealousy overcome her. It seemed silly and stupid, because in that moment, in his arms, Lucy knew that, not only was he perfect for her, but they were perfect for each other. No one else could ever fit in his arms as perfectly as she did, and no other arms could ever hold her like his could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually really excited to get to the middle section of this, but I am also petrified, because I do not know if you all will be happy about what's coming. But, like I said, this one is likely to have more drama and more angst and I hope you like all the drama and angst when it comes! As per usual, please please please leave me all your lovely thoughts and reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

Laxus peeked at Lucy's sleeping face, chuckling wickedly when he saw the tiny line of drool escaping the corner of her mouth. Her head was leaning against his shoulder and though the drop of drool was getting dangerously close to his shirt, he had to take a photograph of her first. He eased his phone out of his pocket, being careful to not jostle her, swiped open the camera and took a fast, sneaky picture of her. Then, with a wad of tissue, he dabbed at the corner of her mouth, wiping away the drool. Just then, the flight attendant's voice boomed over the microphone, announcing their imminent landing. Laxus gently shook Lucy.

"Babe? We're almost there. Time to wake up."

Lucy sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes. She felt the phantom line of drool marking her mouth and when she went to wipe it, the back of her hand came back dry. Her eyes zeroed in on the piece of tissue in Laxus's hand, and she instantly put two and two together.

"You better not have," she threatened, narrowing her eyes.

Feigning confusion, Laxus shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"If I look at your phone and there is a picture of me drooling, you are walking home."

"You don't know my passcode," Laxus shot back.

"1-5-7-0"

"Fuck you, how did you guess?"

"You told me, genius. You were very proud of the fact that the connected numbers looked like a bolt of lightning on your keypad."

"Fine there's a sleeping picture of you, but it's so cute and I swear I'll never show it to anyone. I physically cannot delete it, Lucy. It would hurt me to delete it."

Lucy rolled her eyes and threw her head back against the headrest of her seat. "You're so dramatic. Fine, don't delete it. But when I get an embarrassing picture of you, you can't make me delete it either. Deal?"

Confident she'd never get an embarrassing picture of him, Laxus firmly shook Lucy's outstretched hand. Then, with a laugh, he draped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

A flight attendant holding a basket of tiny water bottles walked down the aisle towards them.

"Water?" she asked, holding out two bottles. Laxus graciously accepted them, handing one to Lucy.

"And can I just say, you both make a beautiful couple. How long have you been married?" the kind-faced flight attendant continued.

"Actually-" Lucy began.

"A year," Laxus smoothly replied. The flight attendant gushed some more about the honeymoon period and how good they looked together before leaving them.

"We're married, huh?" Lucy asked when the woman was out of ear shot.

"We basically are."

"Why would she even think we're married though?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Babe," Laxus said, tapping Lucy's hand. Her ring finger was adorned by a simple silver ring that had a blue stone in the middle. Laxus then tapped his own hand, where his ring finger had a wide silver band.

"I got this in Greece and that's your granddad's. They aren't wedding rings," Lucy justified.

" _She_ doesn't know that. And look at how happy it made her," Laxus flicked his gaze to the flight attendant who kept smiling at the couple.

"Oh well. At least my husband is the most incredible person ever, even if he is a stinking liar," Lucy snickered. When Laxus didn't say anything in response, Lucy turned to look at him. His eyes were blown wide and his breathing suddenly more ragged. "Babe? What happened?"

"Just…" Laxus cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair. "When you said _my husband_ … I know I started this, but hearing you say it… Lucy, that was one of the most incredible moments ever. Just hearing you refer to me as your husband. I-" Laxus stumbled, unable to find the words.

Lucy's heart burst with love. Though very dramatic, not much actually left Laxus speechless, and his sudden wave of emotion made Lucy feel warm and happy. "I liked saying it," she whispered.

Laxus smiled at her, pecking her lips, before arranging his face back into his signature cocky grin. "Is that a proposal, Ms. Heartfilia? Does this mean I can finally start calling you Mrs. Heartfilia-Dreyar?"

"If you make me tell our children that we got engaged on a flight, I will beat you, Mr. Dreyar," Lucy warned.

Laxus just rolled his eyes and teasingly bopped her nose. Lucy began systematically packing away her things, and soon, the wheels of the plane glided down onto the tarmac.

* * *

In an hour, the couple pulled up to the modest house with the stunning white porch. It wasn't ostentatious, but it was elegant and beautiful, like Lucy. They took their bags and walked up to the front door, where Lucy rang the bell.

A moment later, a man with greying blond hair opened the door. Lucy flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Dad! I have missed you! How are you? Where's Mrs. Spetto?"

Mr. Hearfilia laughed and squeezed his daughter. "Missed you too, kiddo. And I am an adult man, I do not need Mrs. Spetto to babysit me, so I gave her the day off."

Lucy groaned. "We're gonna talk about how I am not happy with you."

"Later. First, let me say hi to Laxus."

Lucy stepped out of the way, allowing Laxus to approach her father.

"Hi, sir. It's good to see you! You look well," Laxus said, extending his hand. Mr. Heartfilia grasped it in a firm handshake before pulling the taller man in for a one-armed hug.

"It's good to see you, Laxus. And please, try convincing my daughter that I am fine. She worries unnecessarily."

Laxus chuckled. "I'll do my best, sir, but once she's put her mind to something, I don't think anyone can convince her otherwise."

Lucy's father pulled away from the hug, ushering the pair inside. "Her mother was like that too. Such is the luck of us men who fall in love with beautiful, stubborn, headstrong women, no?"

Laxus laughed ruefully, nodding his head.

Breaking up their moment, Lucy began towards the stairs. "I'm gonna hop in the shower real quick, and then we can do dinner. Laxus, do you need to wash the airplane smell off you too?"

"I've laid out a towel in the guest room downstairs if you want to bathe," Mr. Heartfilia quickly interjected.

"Dad." Lucy shook her head.

"What?"

"You know we're going to be sleeping in the same room, right?"

"Lucy, that is one sentence no father ever wants to hear. But yes, I know. That doesn't mean he needs to shower with you also. Give the man some space to unwind in peace," Mr. Heartfilia justified.

"Okay, sure. If that's how you're defending it. Well, I guess we will meet after our separate showers." And with that, Lucy bounced up the stairs.

"You're a stronger man than I am, sir," Laxus commended once Lucy was out of earshot. "I don't think I'd ever be able to let my daughter's boyfriend sleep in the same room as her."

Mr. Heartfilia laughed loudly. "Well, it's easier when her boyfriend is a man like you," he said, clapping Laxus on the shoulder before walking away.

A stunned and very touched Laxus took his bags to the guest room before treating himself to a nice, hot shower.

Laxus emerged from the guest room several minutes later, dressed in comfy sweats and a T-shirt. He navigated his way to the living room where Mr. Heartfilia was sipping on a glass of whiskey while skimming a novel.

"Ah, Laxus," he said, noticing the young man walk in. "Please, pour yourself a drink and join me."

Laxus found a glass, and after measuring out a large whiskey, Laxus took a seat on the couch across from Mr. Heartfilia.

"I assume Lucy isn't down yet," he commented, a small smile playing at his lips.

"My water bill triples when Lucy is here… I cannot fathom why her showers need to take over an hour."

"I ask myself the same question, sir. She may single handedly destroy the environment with her water wastage."

"Oh well, if all these years of lecturing her hasn't changed anything, it might be too late," Mr. Heartfilia chuckled.

"I'll love her all the same, sir," Laxus reassured.

"Speaking of," Mr. Heartfilia adjusted himself in his chair so he was sitting straighter. "Is there a wedding on the horizon?"

"Ou-our wedding, sir?" Laxus stuttered.

"Yes. Do you intend to marry my daughter, Laxus?"

Without skipping a beat, Laxus looked at Mr. Heartfilia dead in the eye. "Yes, sir. She is the love of my life, and one day I want to marry her."

"You're sure? You're not going to do to her what that fool Natsu did?"

"No sir, I won't. Lucy is the single most important person in my life and I cannot imagine an existence without her. She has changed my whole world, and I would do anything for her. I have never been more sure of anything as I am of the fact that I want to marry your daughter and be with her for as long as we're alive. And if I can find a way to be with her even after that, I'll find it." Laxus drew in a breath, waiting for Mr. Heartfilia's response.

Lucy's father observed him for several moments before wordlessly getting up and going to the mantle. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a small, satin covered box. He carefully placed the box in Laxus's hand before returning to his armchair.

Laxus opened the box and found a beautiful platinum band, inlaid with a simple, beautifully cut diamond. Smaller diamonds flanked the central one, glinting gently in the dim evening light.

"That was Layla's engagement ring. Lucy loved it growing up, and I told her I'd give it to the man she was going to marry. When you both are ready, give her this ring. She'll know you both have my blessing," Mr. Heartfilia said softly.

For the second time that day, Laxus was rendered speechless.

"I often wondered if Natsu was the man I'd give this ring to, but it never felt right. I never saw him putting the ring on my daughter's finger. But I see you doing it. In this one year, I know how you've changed her life. And it's plain as day that you're madly in love with her. The last time I saw a man as besotted with a woman as you are with Lucy, it was the day I met Layla. I never thought there would be a love to rival the love Layla and I had together, but I suspect you and Lucy may give us a run for our money. And I also know Layla would have liked you. She would have said you have kind eyes. And I see it too. I see it in the way you look at my daughter. It's like she's the sun and you're just a planet orbiting her. But Laxus, that's how she looks at you too. You're her sun. In all my life, I can't remember seeing my daughter as happy as she is now. You make her happy, and I trust that you will continue making her happy."

"Yes, sir," Laxus choked.

"You're already a part of my family, Laxus. In my eyes, you're like a son to me. And I know that you did not have the best relationship with your father, but in time, I hope you will begin to see me as one. I'm not saying you need to call me 'Dad', but you certainly don't need to call me 'Sir'."

"Thank you… Jude. I'm honoured to have been welcomed into your family, and I promise to be a good man and a good husband to Lucy," Laxus whispered. His chest was tight with emotion and he was worried he was going to start crying.

"You're a good man, son," Mr. Heartfilia smiled gently. He stood up, prompting Laxus to stand up as well. Then, crossing the distance between them, Mr. Heartfilia embraced Laxus in a warm hug. The tall blond gently wrapped his arms around the older man's shoulders. Jude hugging him reminded Laxus of his grandfather hugging him, and of Makarov hugging him, and suddenly, Laxus felt like he was home. After a couple seconds, the men broke apart with chuckles and shoulder pats. Laxus slipped the ring box into his pocket, determined to go hide it in his bag as soon as he could. He wanted it to be a surprise for Lucy when he finally gave it to her.

A few minutes of idle conversation passed before Lucy came traipsing down the stairs, looking entirely at peace after her lengthy shower.

"Did you guys already start drinking? Rude," she commented, sitting down next to Laxus. She reached out to gently comb her fingers through his hair and he smiled at her, squeezing her thigh. Jude watched the small exchange and he felt like he could explode from happiness. His cheeks were beginning to hurt from how broadly he was grinning, and, with some effort, he brought his expression under control.

"Can I pour you a whiskey, darling?" he addressed Lucy. She nodded enthusiastically. "And a top up for you, son?" Jude asked, gesturing to Laxus's empty glass.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks, Jude," Laxus said, handing the glass over. Lucy eyed them suspiciously.

" _Son_? _Jude_? What the hell happened?" she demanded.

"What? What happened?" Jude asked, eyes twinkling.

"When did you two get so… buddy-buddy? None of my boyfriends have ever called you _Jude_ ," Lucy accused.

"Can't two men bond over whiskey?" Laxus jumped to Jude's defence.

"Plus, Lulu, none of your boyfriends have ever been a patch on Laxus," the patriarch said with a tone of finality that could only be understood as his unwavering approval of the man.

Lucy no longer had witty quips or sarcastic remarks. The fracture from last week felt fully healed as she took Laxus's hand in hers. He placed a quick kiss against her knuckles before accepting his glass from Jude. When her father's back was turned, Lucy quickly pressed a chaste kiss to Laxus's lips, mouthing a silent _I love you_. Laxus whispered a "love you too" in response before clinking his glass against Lucy's.

Jude sat down heavily in his armchair, shifting about until he was comfortable. He raised his glass towards the couple before taking a sip.

"Dad. We need to talk about you giving Mrs. Spetto days off," Lucy cut to the chase.

"Lulu, please. I've raised a child. I think I am competent enough to take care of myself, a grown man. You didn't need to burden Mrs. Spetto. You know, she was telling me how she's ready to retire. She's only a few years younger than me, Lucy. It's like the blind leading the blind," he said obstinately, refusing to cave.

"Dad," Lucy groaned. "You're not thirty-five anymore. You need help. I know your back hurts when you do the laundry and I see you limping. Your knee is acting up again, isn't it? Yet you insist on doing the lawn by yourself. I'm not asking Mrs. Spetto to spoon-feed you and bathe you. But let her help with the laundry, and the dishes, and trimming the hedges. It's not much, dad, and I know you could use the help."

"I don't see why you're paying someone to do what I can _still_ do. Sure, I'm slower, and things hurt, but that's a part of life!" he countered.

"You wouldn't say no if I offered to help you!" Lucy protested.

"Because I wouldn't be paying you! It's a waste of money, Lucy!"

Suddenly, Lucy froze. "Dad… Are you in financial trouble?" she asked carefully. "Do I need to be looking for last minute loans? The scholarship only covers fifty percent…"

"What? No, not at all! We're fine, Lucy. I can send you to college and continue to live a comfortable life. But when something is an unnecessary expense, why do it simply for the sake of doing it?"

"It's not unnecessary, dad! Ugh! How do I explain this to you?!" Lucy was starting to get agitated and Jude was progressively becoming more stubborn.

"Uh, sorry, excuse me. This may not be my place…" Laxus began, before looking at Lucy and then at Jude. When the duelling father-daughter pair both nodded, Laxus continued. "Jude, Lucy is just worried. Just like you're gonna be worried when she's at University. But you know she'll have friends and classmates and professors around. I'm worried too, but knowing she'll have a support system is keeping me sane. She's doing the same thing by hiring Mrs. Spetto. Just ensuring that you have a support system near you. And Lucy," Laxus said, turning to face his girlfriend, "your father is an adult. You may be worried, but also trust him when he says he can take care of himself. He's not old, he's not sick. He may pull a muscle every now and then, but so do the rest of us. It's okay to worry, but have some faith in him. So… Just come to a compromise," Laxus finished, sitting back with a satisfied grin.

"Problem solver, huh?" Jude asked Lucy with a snort.

"Oh, god, the biggest problem solver. If he could, he'd take it upon himself to resolve every dispute in the world. It's a wonder he didn't become a lawyer," Lucy laughed.

"Ha ha," Laxus said sarcastically. "I'm serious. Just come to a middle ground."

"Fine. Once a week. Half a day," Jude offered.

"Twice a week, full day," Lucy countered.

"Twice a week, half a day," Jude negotiated.

"Fine, deal. I'll call Mrs. Spetto later today and let her know."

"Make sure she comes on boring days. Like Monday and Wednesday. I don't want her here on a Friday or the weekend," Jude insisted.

"Why? The boys coming over for poker? Or maybe a special lady friend?" Lucy said, wagging her eyebrows.

Jude threw a small cushion at his daughter. "You're ridiculous, Lulu."

"Why not? Get on a dating app, dad! Laxus can even take some nice photographs of you!"

Jude sighed, put down his glass, and stood up. "I'm leaving to put dinner on the table, and I am absolutely never getting on a dating app." With a firm look thrown at his daughter, Jude shuffled out towards the kitchen as his daughter and her boyfriend snickered.

* * *

The pair had been living in Lucy's house for nearly two weeks, and their days were filled with cleaning and sorting and putting into boxes and printing forms and signing rental agreements. Lucy was so grateful Laxus was around to help her get ready for college, because with his attention to detail and organisational skills, the entire process was flying by smoothly. They were running around town buying things Lucy needed, they were talking to potential landlords, and Laxus even spent an entire day on the phone with the Student Office fixing a mistake in one of Lucy's documents.

After a particularly grueling day of finding suitcases large enough to house her things, the pair tumbled into bed after a quiet dinner. Immediately, Lucy rolled onto Laxus, slipping her fingers into his hair and kissing him deeply. Her hands trailed down his body, over his gorgeous abs, and to his waistband. She slid her fingers under it, reaching for his cock.

"Uh, maybe we shouldn't, Blondie," Laxus whispered as he pulled away from her. "I'm pretty sure your dad heard us last night."

"What? How?" Lucy sat up, straddling his hips.

"You were really loud yesterday, love."

"That doesn't mean he heard us."

"I don't know… He gave me a look this morning."

"A _look_? Laxus, he knows we have sex," Lucy rolled her eyes.

" _Knowing_ is one thing. _Hearing_ is another."

"And you know he heard us because he gave you a _look_?" Lucy confirmed incredulously.

"Yes. He heard us, for sure. He may have actually heard us on multiple occasions," Laxus said with a wince.

"We're not teenagers, Laxus! C'mon!" Lucy pouted before kissing him again. She began grinding herself against him as soft gasps of pleasure left her lips.

Laxus teetered on the edge before finally giving in. He pushed Lucy's shirt up, pulling it off her and throwing it to the side. His hands skimmed her waist as he kissed down her neck towards her chest. When he reached her breasts, he gently peppered the white skin with kisses before clamping his lips around her nipple and tugging. Lucy moaned deliciously, tightening her grip in Laxus's hair and arching her back. Suddenly, Laxus let her tit go.

"Nope. Nope. You're sexy as fuck moans are way too loud, and that's okay when we're in your house or my house, but not when we're in your dad's house and he's twenty feet away," Laxus shook his head violently pushing Lucy off him.

"I can't control how loud I'm being!" Lucy hissed.

"Exactly! And normally, there's no sound more sexy than you moaning. I swear, baby, your moans are the hottest thing in the world, and I love when you're loud, so never stop doing that, but let's not do it when your dad is in earshot," Laxus pleaded.

"Laxus, you're being ridiculous," Lucy said rolling her eyes.

"Shhh, let's just cuddle. You can even be the little spoon."

Lucy's eyes widened. "You love being the little spoon," she said, shocked.

"It's okay, you be the little spoon today. Consider it my apology for no sex."

Lucy grinned broadly. She kissed Laxus before curling up on her side. He wrapped himself around her, draping an arm over her body. She was still shirtless, and Laxus couldn't help but slide his hand to cup her breast. He kneaded it gently, and in response, Lucy began bucking her hips, pushing her ass into his crotch. Laxus felt his dick come to life and he knew it was a matter of seconds before he had Lucy face down in the mattress while he railed her from the back.

"Please put your shirt back on before I go insane," he choked out, struggling to make his erection go away.

Lucy sat up with a groan. "Ugh! You're no fun," she whined, reaching down to pick up her top. She pulled it on and lay back down with a huff.

Laxus pressed himself into her back and kissed the side of her neck. "I love you, Heartfilia," he whispered with a short chuckle.

And that's all it took to melt Lucy. "I love you, Dreyar, she responded dreamily. Eventually, Laxus's even breath and familiar heartbeat lulled her into a blissful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some sweet moments to soothe the drama from the last couple chapters. I mean, I love these two and I hate writing drama between them but that being said there will be more drama shortly. I'll still give you a couple fluffy chapters first, because, as is standard with me, I get nervous writing intense drama, so we're gonna continue to delay it with plot building! Yay! Hope you liked this chapter, and whether you were rooting for Lucy or rooting for Laxus in their last fight, I hope you're happy that there is not longer trouble in paradise! Also feel free to leave your story predictions. I know where this is going but it'll be fun to read where you think it's going, based on how I've set it up so far!


	6. Chapter 6

Lucy was uncorking the bottle as she heard Laxus lug the last box in.

"Thank you so much for all your help, Lucy. I really really appreciate how you made an effort to help move _your_ things into _your_ apartment," Laxus mocked passive aggressively. Then, putting on a high, affected voice in imitation of his girlfriend, Laxus responded to himself, "Oh, Laxus, of course! I was more than happy to help the love of my life! You're the best boyfriend in the world and helping you carry boxes is the least I could do!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, walking out of the kitchen with two wine glasses in hand. "Your impression of me sucks, just by the way," she critiqued.

"I got the message across, didn't I?" Laxus countered, sitting down on the couch. As was standard, Lucy sat across his lap, handing him the glass.

"If I was getting boxes, who'd have found the wine glasses and poured the wine?"

"The wine glasses were in a very clearly marked box. I know for a fact it didn't take you more than thirty seconds to find them, and pouring the wine was another thirty seconds. I'm not buying that excuse."

Lucy's eyes narrowed seductively and she leaned into Laxus. "Oops. Guess that means you'll have to punish me now," she whispered tantalisingly. Her words had the desired effect as she felt Laxus grow hard under her. Subtly, she wiggled her butt, grinding herself into his waking erection.

Laxus exhaled sharply and tipped his head back. "I hate that you use sex to get out of things and I hate that I don't actually care," he groaned.

"Would you rather we not fuck now?" Lucy continued to whisper, letting her lips brush against his ear.

"Put your fucking glass down. Let's go," Laxus's voice deepened as he plucked the glass out of her hand. He put both down on the coffee table before flipping them over so that Lucy was lying down on the couch. She squealed when his hands roved her body, skimming her sides, over her waist, and down to the hem of her dress that he pushed up to her hips. Over her panties, Laxus began rubbing her slit, watching her watch him. As she grew wetter, her pupils dilated and lips parted. A pink flush blossomed on her cheeks as he worked her.

"More," she demanded simply. Laxus just chuckled. In that moment, Lucy hated the thin piece of cloth separating his fingers from her warmth. In desperation, she bucked her hips against his fingers, hoping the added friction would make up for the fact that he was refusing to touch her how she wanted.

"Be patient, Lu," Laxus murmured softly. He held her swivelling hips down before finally, pushing her underwear to the side and pressing her aching clit with one finger. Instantly, Lucy moaned loudly before clamping a hand on her mouth.

"What?" Laxus asked as he continued to vigorously circle her clit.

"I don't know who my neighbours are," Lucy whispered. "What if it's an old grandma and she hears us having sex and she's so scandalised that she has a heart attack?"

"Your landlord rents to people enrolled at the University, Lucy!" Laxus reminded her in a whisper.

"Why are you whispering?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Because you are!" Laxus hissed. "But neither of us need to! Your neighbours are probably just other students, also having sex. Also, you didn't care if your dad heard us!" Laxus accused. By this point, he'd stopped fingering her. It felt wrong to finger someone when talking about old grandmas and fathers.

"My dad isn't a stranger. It's weird if some person, who's never met me, knows what I sound like in bed," Lucy justified.

"It's weird if your dad knows what you sound like in bed!" Laxus shot back.

"Laxus, we were about to have sex. Can we please go back to that? And not talk about my dad?"

"You brought up the grandma first."

"Laxus, I _need_ you to fuck me right now, so I _need_ us to stop talking about this," Lucy laughed as she pulled Laxus down towards her, silencing his words with a fiery kiss.

Laxus scooped his arms under Lucy and carried her to the bedroom. Boxes were strewn everywhere and the bed was still unmade, but neither of them cared when he laid her down across the naked mattress and knelt over her. She sat up, with Laxus straddling her thighs, and slowly began unbuttoning his shirt. He knew she loved undressing him. She'd gently let her fingers trail across this chest, nails delicately scraping his abs, until she reached down to his happy trail, at which point, she'd slide her hands back up his torso until she reached his shoulders, where she'd push his shirt off. Her hands would move to his back, feeling the curve and contour of every muscle, as her lips peppered is chest with kisses. Laxus loved how, every time Lucy took his shirt off, she looked at him like it was the first time she was seeing him like that. Seeing her desire for him lit a fire of passion in the pit of his stomach and sent all the blood in his body rushing into his member. With some amount of contorting and effort, Laxus lifted Lucy's dress over her head with the same care and precision that she'd undressed him with. Now that they were both semi-naked, Laxus looked down at Lucy, admiring the way her hair fell across her shoulders and over her pretty breasts. He loved the way her eyelashes brushed the tops of her cheeks when she blinked. He loved the way her chest rose and fell as she panted in desperation.

Lucy saw desire in his eyes, and felt his desire as it pushed against her stomach. "Fuck me, Laxus. Please," she moaned softly.

Laxus's mouth turned up at the corners. He grabbed Lucy's throat, bending down to kiss her roughly. His teeth grazed her lips and their tongues clashed as they kissed furiously. Laxus moved his hand into Lucy's hair, gathering it into his fist and yanking her head back, exposing her neck. He nipped a trail along her throat, starting at her collarbone and working his way up to her ear. Growling, Laxus pushed Lucy down onto the mattress. He snaked his way down her body and unceremoniously wrenched her underwear off. With a cupped palm, he slapped Lucy's thighs, pushing her legs apart and opening her up to him.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he bit out, grabbing her tits in his hands before fiercely attacking her mouth with his. It was sloppy and messy and Laxus loved it.

"Spit," he commanded, putting his hand out in front of Lucy's mouth. Obediently, Lucy spit onto his fingers, which he rubbed along her slit, ensuring it was slick. Then, without warning, Laxus drove three fingers into her. With a scream, Lucy arched off the bed and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Fuck, Laxus!" she moaned. Laxus considered stopping, or at least taking a finger out, but when he saw her eyes roll back in her head and hips swivel against his palm, he smirked. With fantastic precision, Laxus pumped his fingers into her, curling them deliciously to hit that sensitive spot inside her. Having no pillows or sheets to hold onto, Lucy was desperately clawing at the mattress as her juices flooded Laxus's hand and dripped through his fingers onto it.

Wanting to taste her, Laxus lowered his face until it was level with her centre. He could feel the warmth emanating from her and the smell of her arousal was driving him insane with want. He pulled his fingers out, much to the disappointment of the writhing woman, and licked along her slit. Lucy shuddered, whimpering as she needed more. Laxus sucked at her puffy lips before pulling her swollen clit into his mouth. His fingers went back inside her, fucking her at a brutal pace that his tongue kept up with. With the way Lucy twitched and squirmed and mewled, he knew her orgasm wasn't far away and he wanted to taste her release. Her walls were clenching his fingers tightly as she fisted his hair in her fingers.

"Laxus, I'm gonna cum," she announced, panting. His only reaction was to reach up and spank her tit before twisting her nipple. The pain, shock, and pleasure came together beautifully to hurtle Lucy into her climax. A surge of wetness dripped out of her, which Laxus more than happily licked away, as she spasmed uncontrollably, crying his name.

Before she even had a chance to come down off her high, Laxus slammed his cock into her, triggering a second, immediate orgasm.

"Good fucking girl," Laxus purred, stroking her hair. "Wanna taste yourself?" he asked. Licking her lips, Lucy nodded. Laxus crawled up her body until he was straddling her chest. His thick, hard cock hung above Lucy's face, glistening with their combined juices. Craning her neck, Lucy stuck her tongue out and leisurely licked the underside of his dick. When she opened her mouth and eyed him seductively, Laxus carefully pushed the head of his dick between her lips. Then, inch by inch, Lucy swallowed his cock until her nose was very nearly pressed into his pelvic bone. Laxus heard her begin to choke under him and eased off. Her eyes were watering, but the grin on her face told him she wanted more. Once more, he slipped his dick into her mouth, this time being less careful. When she gagged, he pulled back briefly before driving in again. Her lips around his cock, warm breath dancing along his shaft as her tongue swirled patterns across his length, was literal heaven. He held her head in his hands, stilling her movements so that he had control of the situation. His head was tipped back, lips parted, as he fucked her throat. Her nails clawed into his ass, holding him in place, pulling him deeper into her mouth.

"Ohh- Fucking hell, Lucy," Laxus growled, eyes fluttering shut.

Laxus could've stayed like that forever, but he knew that fucking her mouth wasn't as good as it could get. While her lips and her tongue could do mind blowing things, nothing compared to the feeling of her tight pussy wrapped around him as he watched her unravel spectacularly.

Deftly, Laxus rolled off her, lying down on his back. He began lazily jerking his cock, gaze locked with Lucy's.

"Do you plan on just staring at me or are you going to get on my dick?" Laxus drawled. Despite her two orgasms, his gravelly command made Lucy's pussy throb with need. With a coquettish toss of her hair, Lucy crawled onto him, positioning herself above his member. Before she could sink down, he gripped her hip.

"Turn around. I want to see that ass bounce."

Lucy gasped as a shiver ran up her spine. She slowly turned, making sure to arch her back and flaunt her ass as she knelt back down over his thighs. She began slowly lowering herself onto his dick, sighing happily when the head pushed in. Before she had a chance to gradually sink down on his entire length, Laxus held her firmly by the waist and drove up, spearing her on his cock. Lucy screamed in pleasure, falling forwards and bracing herself on his knees as he drove into her. With his every thrust, hitting deep inside her, Lucy felt her muscles tighten in anticipation of her release. And just when she felt like she was on the precipice, Laxus stopped moving, flipping them both onto their side. Lucy was about to protest, irritated that he stopped just as she was about to climax, but before the words could leave her lips, he slammed back into her. Their new angle allowed the head of his cock to rub perfectly against that one particular spot inside her that made Lucy's toes curl and her vision go white.

Laxus was relentless. Lucy came over and over again, but not once did he let up. With his hand around her throat, he pulled her face back to his, kissing her deeply, tasting her and her cherry lip balm. He bit multiple points along her throat and chest, marking her with small, purple blotches. He rubbed her clit as he pistoned into her, holding her against his chest as she whimpered through her release.

"Ohh...my...go- Laxus! Fuck fuck fuck, yes, please, oh my god!" Lucy cried as another orgasm tore through her.

Laxus clenched his jaw, staving off his own orgasm until she finished spasming around him.

"Where?" he gritted.

"In me. Cum in me, baby," Lucy whispered, spent from her multiple orgasms.

Laxus flipped her so she was on her back. He wanted to look into her eyes as he came. Slipping his dick back inside her sensitive pussy, Laxus began thrusting furiously, urged on by Lucy's soft moans. Her fingers were wrapped around his biceps, stroking his arms delicately as he neared his release.

"Fuck baby, yes, just like that," Lucy moaned, loving the aftershocks that ran through her as he fucked her.

Right before he came, Laxus dipped down and caught Lucy's lips in a passionate kiss. He moaned into her mouth, hips moving erratically as he shot his seed deep into her. As he caught his breath, he kissed her sweat slicked forehead, rolling until she was on top of him, her head resting on his chest. They lay like, panting, until their racing hearts slowed.

"Thank god we didn't put sheets down yet," Lucy giggled. "That was… Laxus, I don't think we've ever had sex that good," she whispered in awe.

"Is that a compliment to this time or an insult to the million other times we've fucked?" Laxus chuckled.

"Definitely a compliment to this time. Definitely. Fuck, babe, you may have just ruined me for other men."

"I'm offended it took so long. You ruined me for other women the day I met you," Laxus said softly, kissing the top of her head.

"At the pier in Greece?"

"No. At Bacchus's party," Laxus clarified.

Lucy sat up and looked at him in shock. "What? Stop lying."

"I'm not. I knew then you were something special. Who knows, maybe a part of me was in love with you from that moment onwards, all those years ago," Laxus smiled tenderly.

Overwhelmed, Lucy ducked her face into his neck. "You know I don't deserve you, right? You're amazing, Laxus. You're just…" she lifted her head to look at him. "You're the most perfect person in the world and I am so in love with you, it's crazy. You're everything to me, Laxus," she said sincerely, cupping his jaw.

"And you're my everything, Lu. But right now, you're sweaty. Go shower, and then we'll cuddle," Laxus said, pointing to the bathroom. Which earned him a smack on the head.

"You need to shower too. Get your sweaty, sexy ass off my new bed," Lucy ordered.

With a laugh, Laxus pulled her with him as he got out of bed, keeping an arm around her waist as she led him towards the bathroom.

* * *

"I'll drop you to the airport, Laxus! It's not a big deal!" Lucy tried one more time.

"It's your first day, you maniac! You can't skip class," he chastised in response.

"I don't wanna do college. I want to go on holiday," Lucy pouted.

"You literally haven't started yet. Plus we just got back from holiday! Why did we go up to that lakehouse if not to squeeze in a quick vacation?"

"Laxus, you made me hike! And fish! That's not a vacation! That's summer camp!"

"You loved fishing!"

"I hated hiking! And I didn't _love_ fishing. It was fun, and nice, but you definitely had a better time than I did. And I love that! I'm so happy you had a great vacation, but can we do a Lucy kind of holiday next? Dancing, cocktails, the beach, a spa, that kind of thing."

Laxus rolled his eyes. "Fine, we'll go one long weekend. But only if you actually go to class and not just stay home on your computer, okay?" he bopped her nose.

"Okay, dad, jeez," Lucy mocked, sticking her tongue out.

"Good. And Lu?"

"Yeah?"  
"Good luck, my love," Laxus whispered, kissing her.

"Thank you," she said, hugging him tight.

"Okay, I got you a present," he announced, pulling a little box out of his back pocket.

"Laxus, you shouldn't have!" Lucy said graciously as she accepted the box. Inside the box were the most gorgeous pair of earrings Lucy had ever seen. A cluster of tiny white pearls, dangling at the ends of thin gold chains that were held together by a small golden rose. The earrings were delicate and beautiful and Lucy was left at a loss for words.

"Laxus, I can't-" she tried. They were expensive, there was no doubt.

"They aren't for now, Lucy."

"What do you mean?"

"Wear these at your graduation. I know I'm about two years too early, but you're going to breeze through this, and you're going to graduate at the top of your class. And on any day that you are stressed and you want to quit, you call me, and then you look at those earrings and remember that I _know_ you're going to make this Masters your bitch. Okay?" he held her chin, tilting her face up to his.

"Okay," Lucy whispered, eyes welling with tears.

"Good girl. You're brilliant, Lucy. And I am so madly in love with you."

He looked at Lucy with so much love and sincerity, that she felt her heart explode. Tears began rushing down her face as she threw her arms around him.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Laxus," she wailed into his chest.

"I'm going to miss you too, baby. So much." His words were muffled by her hair, but she heard them, and it only made her cry harder.

"Lucy, please don't cry. If you cry, I'll never let you go. Fuck college, fuck my job. I'll give everything up for you."

"So do it. I'll drop out too and we'll go live by the lake," Lucy sniffed.

"You're going to be fine, baby. _We're_ going to be fine. We'll talk every day, I'll come here and visit, you come there and visit. We'll be fine," Laxus reassured both her and himself.

"I love you, Dreyar."

"I love you, Heartfilia."

* * *

A second tearful goodbye outside her academic building later, Lucy walked towards her class as Laxus got in his taxi to go to the airport. His heart hurt as he watched her walk away, and he was sorely tempted to jump out of his cab, gather her in his arms, and never let her go.

_This is good, Laxus. This is good for her. And you have big things on the horizon anyway. She'll be fine, you'll be fine. God, I am so proud of her. She's incredible. Wait, fuck… Should I have…? No. Not yet._

Laxus quickly checked his bag to make sure the engagement ring was still there. He'd propose one day. Probably one day soon. But it was her first day at university, and it was a big deal. Getting a fiance, only to have that fiance jump on a plane may not have been the best way to start this new chapter of her life.

Laxus couldn't be more proud of his girlfriend, and as the taxi took him further and further away from her, he only prayed that nothing between them would change.

* * *

Lucy quickly found her class, noting that she was thirty minutes early.

_Perfect._

She entered the classroom, quickly scoping the space before determining the perfect seat. Proximal enough to know what was happening and stay a part of the conversation, but far enough that, if she did want to sneak a look at her phone, the professor wouldn't catch her. Happy with her choice, Lucy dumped her bag onto the table and took her seat, fishing out her phone to send Laxus a " _Bon voyage_!" message. She continued aimlessly scrolling through social media, entirely unaware of the man who walked in not five minutes after she did.

"Uh, you're early," she heard a deep, silky voice comment. Snapping her head up, her eyes locked with a pair of dark eyes, partially obscured by an equally dark mop of floppy hair that hung down to his gloriously high cheekbones. His baby pink lips were twisted in confusion, and off his endless neck hung a couple of long, silver chains. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his jeans were slung low on his hips.

Lucy wasn't sure if it was the fact that he caught her off-guard or the fact that he was smoking hot, but she found herself having a hard time forming words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh who this mystery man? Guesses? Thoughts? Theories?
> 
> Also, while I am not making any hard and fast commitments (because I never plan my stories), I suspect there may not be much smut any time soon. Again, the story may decide to change directions in a couple chapters, so who knows, but if I stay roughly on the track I want to be on, Laxus and Lucy are officially away from each other, so I don't see how I'm going to pepper in the smutty chaps. However, there is still plot and drama and all that fun stuff coming your way.
> 
> Last note, chapters may become "Lucy chapters" and "Laxus chapters". I say this just in case two chapters later you're like "WHERE TF IS LAXUS I MISS HIM". Everyone will show up, just probably not at the same time and not together.
> 
> As always, comment comment comment! It fuels me.


	7. Chapter 7

Lucy only realised that she hadn't actually said anything in response when the attractive man cleared his throat and asked, "Uh… So, are you new?"

Snapping back to reality, Lucy nodded earnestly. "Yes! First day," she chirped. "Are you new too?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, second year. Tell me, Miss First Day, you a Communications major?"

It made sense that he jumped to that conclusion. She was sitting in a Communications class after all. Instead, Lucy shook her head. "No, Business major. Communications minor."

"Oh, nice! Me too!" he said, sitting on a desk and facing Lucy.  
"Does that mean you have Business Ethics at five with Professor Bickslow?"

"Uh, yeah, I do. He's a stickler, but he loves me. Aced his courses in my first year," the man said with a small, nonchalant shrug.

"Great! Well, I guess I'll see you there too!" Lucy responded brightly.

"No you won't," the man shook his head. "It's an advanced level course. Second years only."

"I did a bunch of extra credit stuff as an undergrad. I mean, I could potentially graduate a semester early, so the Academic Office let me take advanced courses, and I'm enrolled in Business Ethics at five," Lucy gloated with a little nonchalant shrug of her own.

"Miss First Day is quickly turning out to be Miss Brainiac, huh? What're you gonna do with all that extra time?"

"Turn my Communications minor into a Communications major," Lucy fired back confidently. Then, without wanting to step on his toes, she carefully asked, "If you're a second year, why are you in an entry level Communications course?"

The man looked like something had just dawned on him. "Oh! Right, first day. I'm not _in_ this course. I'm the TA for this course. I don't know why I expected you to know that. My bad, sorry. Should've probably introduced myself."

Lucy looked at him curiously before flipping open her course packet and pulling out the syllabus. There, at the top of the page, was marked _Professor: J. Fernandes; TA: G. Fullbuster_.

"Fullbuster?" Lucy asked, looking up from the page.

"That's me. Gray," the man said, walking up to Lucy with his hand extended.

"Lucy Heartfilia," she replied warmly, shaking his hand.

"Welcome, Lucy. Hope you settle in nicely, and feel free to find me if you need help with anything. Shouldn't be hard, given that I have a feeling you'll be in several of my classes," he smiled.

"How many first years have you made this offer to?" she snickered.

"Well, it's the first hour of the first day, and you're the first first year I've talked to, so only one. But I don't see that number going up drastically. I got a good feeling about you, Luce," he said with a wink. Before Lucy could respond, more students began trickling in and Gray walked up to each of them, introducing himself.

_Luce? No one's called me 'Luce' in a while… I should've stopped him. Corrected him. But… It didn't hurt when he said it. It actually felt nice to be called Luce again. Maybe… Maybe Luce is okay._

Lucy stayed lost in thought until a man, who was no doubt the professor, walked into the room. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing eyes. He couldn't have been more than fifteen years older than her. He had an intricate tattoo on the side of his neck, but Lucy only briefly glimpsed it. For the most part, it stayed hidden underneath his chin length hair and high collared shirt.

"Good morning, class. And welcome to Principles of Communication. I am Professor Fernandes. That young man over there," he pointed to Gray, "is your teaching assistant, Gray Fullbuster. He is your first point of contact for any queries you may have, and if he cannot answer them, then you may come to me. You are not to listen to him when he tells you to call me 'Ferny'. Calling me Ferny in class will result in extra work, as Mr. Fullbuster can attest to. He got away with it because he is a brilliant student who managed to complete every extra assignment I threw at him. I do not suspect that the rest of you will be as lucky, or as brilliant, but please, feel free to prove me wrong. We will meet twice a week, and I hold office hours once a week. You are expected to do your readings before class and if you have not done your readings, I would recommend not attending class that day. I have no desire to instruct someone who will stare blankly at me in response. You will have two long essays, two short essays, and two exams. As we go through the material, I will conduct short, surprise quizzes. These quizzes contribute significantly towards your grade, so if you happen to skip class on a day we're having a quiz, well then, I wish you luck. In light of this, I suggest you attend every class, irrespective of how bored you may think you are, and do all your readings, irrespective of how dull you may think they are. Finally, if you wish to use your cellphone, you may do so, however, you will leave my class to use your phone, and you are then welcome to not return for the remainder of that session. Are the ground rules clear? Shall we proceed?"

The room was deathly silent as everyone watched their striking professor in awe. After a few murmured yeses, Professor Fernandes looked around the room, nodded his head once, and took his place behind the desk.

* * *

Lucy stayed enraptured the entire class. Her hand flew over her notebook, writing down practically every word that left Professor Fernandes's mouth. She was floored by his intellect, and how well-read he was, and the smooth, soft voice in which he spoke. She hadn't met her other professors yet, but she had a feeling that Professor Fernandes would be her favourite. When he subtly looked at his wristwatch and called for the end of class, Lucy felt almost sad. She packed up her bag and walked to the front of the classroom.

"Professor? Lucy Heartfilia," she said, extending her hand. He shook it, with a simple nod. "I really enjoyed your class, Professor. I look forward to the rest of the semester."

"Well, Ms. Heartfilia, it is only day one, after all. Let's hope your enthusiasm doesn't wane." His eyes held the faint glint of humour and something told Lucy that he wasn't necessarily the uptight man he made himself out to be.

"Thank you, Professor," Lucy replied, smiling broadly before heading to the door.

"Oh Luce, sucking up already?" she heard a voice behind her say. She turned to find Gray leaning against the wall.

"I was just saying I enjoyed the class. That's not sucking up!" she justified.

Gray looked at her incredulously with a raised brow.

"Okay, fine. Maybe I was sucking up a little," Lucy admitted. "But it's only because I really did like the class! And him!"

"Oof, wait until he assigns a twenty page paper two weeks before the due date. You'll _really_ like him then," Gray said, gesturing to the exit before starting to walk out of class.

"Don't scare me, it's only my first day," Lucy pouted.

"Tell you what. Meet me at the library ten minutes before Business Ethics. We'll walk to class together and I'll scare you some more. Sounds good?" Gray offered.

Lucy wasn't sure if he was flirting with her or just being nice, but it was her first day in a brand new place and she wasn't turning down the first friendly person she met.

 _Who knows? Maybe I'm talking to my new best friend,_ she thought.

"Okay, cool. I'll see you outside the library before class," Lucy grinned.

"Have a good first day!" Gray waved goodbye as he walked away, calling excitedly to a friend he'd spotted down the corridor.

* * *

Lucy's phone buzzed in her pocket as she sat on a bench outside the library.

Having not had a class before her five p.m. one, Lucy had decided to scope out the library to kill time. She had her breath nearly wrenched from her lungs when she walked into the palatial room. It was adorned from floor to ceiling with rows and rows of books, across two levels. There were over a million books in here, and the thought both daunted and excited Lucy. She finally found herself in a corner of the library, surrounded by a stack of twenty books, having had trouble picking just one. She leafed through each, jumping back and forth between all of them until she checked her phone and saw she had only ten minutes until she was supposed to meet Gray. Hurriedly returning all the books to their respective shelves, Lucy sadly left the library, silently promising to be back soon. She found a warm spot on a stone bench right outside, and it was sitting there that she got her text from Laxus.

She wrenched her phone out of her pocket, clicking hastily on the notification.

" _Just landed. Flight was dumb. A baby cried the entire way. How's first day going, love?"_

Lucy began drafting a text before hitting the 'Dial' button instead. The phone rang once before Laxus picked up.

"Hey gorgeous," he said. Lucy could practically _hear_ his smile. In her head she saw the way his mouth would curve up to one side and his eyes would twinkle. It nearly made her cry.

"Hey baby," she responded thickly. "Sorry your flight sucked."

"It sucked mainly because you weren't on it with me," Laxus chuckled.

Lucy felt tears rapidly approach. "I miss you," she whispered, sniffling.

"Hey hey hey. Lucy. No crying, baby. Please. We both need to be strong and do what we can until we're together again. And we'll be together again soon, I swear. So please, my love, don't cry. Because if you cry, then I'll cry, and then I'll get right back on a flight, pick you up, and take you far away where no one can take you from me."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Lucy laughed through her sniffles.

"How's your day been so far? I want to know everything," Laxus deftly changed the subject before either of them could contemplate dropping their life plans.

"Classes have been good. I had this _amazing_ professor in the morning. He's so smart, but like, not showy about it. And his material is so interesting. I was hooked."

"That's amazing, babe! You tell me first if you're going to live out some professor-student fantasy, though, okay? I'll need to vet the guy to make sure he's good enough," Laxus joked.

"Pssh, as if. No one but you is good enough," Lucy purred.

"Are we going to have phone sex now? Because I need to get somewhere private first," he asked seriously.

"Shut up, Laxus! I have class now! My friend and I are going together," Lucy slipped in.

"Friend? Look at you, Miss Popular. It's not even been a full day and you're already making friends."

"Well, acquaintance, really. Or, I don't even know if we're acquaintances. He's the TA in my Communications course. He's a second year, so we have advanced level Business courses together. He was nice to me in the morning. Offered to help me out and everything, if I needed it. He's really sweet, Laxus." Lucy realised she was subtly justifying her friendship with this man, hoping Laxus would feel jealous or threatened.

"I'm so glad, Lucy," Laxus responded calmly, without a trace of discomfort at the new friend Lucy had made. "It's great you have someone to help you out and show you the ropes! My seniors at college honestly shaped my entire experience. Hopefully this guy does the same with you!"

Elated at his cheerfulness, Lucy responded brightly, "Yeah! I hope we can actually become friends. It'll be nice to have a friendly face in class, especially in the beginning."

"As long as it isn't too friendly," Laxus laughed. "Make sure he knows you have a big, strong boyfriend waiting for you." While his tone was pleasant and joke-y, Lucy could hear the undercurrent of trepidation in his voice.

"And you better make sure those models you'll be working with know you have a tiny girlfriend who won't hesitate to tear their hair out," Lucy retaliated with a laugh, trying to ease the concerns they both felt.

"I'll let them know," Laxus promised. Just then, Lucy saw Gray approaching.

"Hey, listen. I need to get to class. My friend's here. Call you later?" she spoke quickly.

"Okay, yeah. Talk to you later, love. Bye," Laxus said.

"Bye baby," Lucy whispered before ending the call and pushing her phone back into her pocket.

"Points for punctuality," Gray commented as he neared her.

"I've been her for over an hour," Lucy rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Cherish this. Next year, when you have a thesis and four professors crawling up your ass, you're going to pray for the days when you could sit in the library and do nothing for an hour," Gray shrugged. He waited until Lucy picked up her bag before continuing down the corridor.

"It's only day one, Gray. You don't need to pack all the scaring into today."

"It's just the truth. Also, more truth, this class is supposed to end at seven, but it never ends before half-past. So, post class, are you down for a 'first day done successfully' beer? There's a University standard pub we all go to. It's kind of tradition," Gray looked at her with a grin.

"Well… If it's tradition…" Lucy drawled exaggeratedly.

"It is."

"Okay, fine. Guess I can't say no to tradition," she giggled. And then it occurred to her. "Hey, Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"This isn't like a… A date, is it?"

"Why? Did you want it to be?" he wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

"No, it's… I have a boyfriend."

Gray stopped and turned to face her. "Is this a real boyfriend or a fake boyfriend that you'll magically dump once you've scoped the place?"

In response, Lucy pulled out her phone and held it out to Gray, showing him her home screen, which was a picture of her and Laxus kissing.

"So a real boyfriend, then. Good," Gray nodded, resuming his march towards class.

"Good?" Lucy clarified, jogging a little to keep up with his long strides.

"The number of fake boyfriends on this campus will astound you. Refreshing to meet someone who isn't lying when she turns down a date because she's in a relationship."

"So tonight was a date?" Lucy clarified. She felt her heart start to sink as the prospect of a friendship with this man began slipping through her fingers.

"Nah, don't worry, Luce. We're still on for tonight. As friends. And if you're asking whether I'd have said no to a date, then no, I'd have never said no to a date, but I fully respect your relationship, and won't cross that line. Plus, you seem like a fun person to hang out with, boyfriend or not. I don't see anything stopping us from still being friends. That cool?"

Lucy nodded her head vigorously. "Yes. Friends," she said, beaming to herself.

"Perfect. Drinks after class, then," Gray said, pushing the classroom door open.

"Hey Gray?" Lucy whispered. She was about to ask him an embarrassing question, and she felt it best to not dwell on it.

"Yeah?"

"Can I sit next to you? Please?" Lucy whispered urgently.

Gray looked at her for two seconds before bursting out in uproarious laughter. "You crack me up, Miss First Day. Yeah, you can sit next to me," he chuckled, navigating his way to a chair. Lucy pulled out the one next to him and slid in, grateful to have a friend in this class full of seniors.

* * *

"Congratulations on getting done with your first day, Miss First Day," Gray said, setting a bottle of beer down in front of Lucy.

"Thank you for being a great guide and a decent TA," Lucy snorted.

"You watch your tongue. I'm gonna be the best goddamn TA you've ever had," Gray wiggled his finger in her face.

"By the way, best goddamn TA, how much do I owe you?"

"For?"

Lucy looked at him like he was daft. "The beer. Duh."

"Oh, that," Gray nodded before waving his hand. "Nothing. My treat. Consider it your welcome gift."

"So, is this whole night my welcome gift, or…" Lucy trailed off.

"Shut up and drink your free beer. The next round is on you. I'm not feeling that generous either," Gray teased, clinking his bottle against hers. After downing a large sip, Gray put his beer back on the table. "So, Luce. Tell me about yourself," he asked loudly, over the din of rock music playing in the background.

"What do you want to know?" she asked in response.

"Everything. Family, dreams, hopes, aspirations, boyfriend, favourite food, most hated band, all of it."

"Why?"

"Because you are the first genuinely fun person I've met in a while, and I would be an idiot to not be your friend. And friends ask each other insane questions."

Lucy suddenly got butterflies and she wanted to do a happy dance. With Laxus, there had always been sexual tension, and though they became friends first, they both knew from the start that they'd be something more. But with Gray, there wasn't that sexual tension. Lucy was in a happy, committed relationship, that he respected, and so this was him truly just trying to become her friend. It had been a while since someone had actively courted her friendship, and it made her feel good that he genuinely wanted to get to know her. And so, she told him everything. And he told her everything. Or at least as much as they could cram in before closing time. As they exited the pub, Lucy couldn't help but think how easy it had been to talk to him. Suddenly, she couldn't wait for the rest of the year, because something about Gray told her that he'd end up being really special.

"Which way are you?" he asked as they got out onto the street.

Lucy jerked her thumb to the left.

"Oh, great. Me too. Walk you back?" Gray offered.

"Yeah, thank you," Lucy replied sincerely. It dawned on her that, in their extensive chatting, they hadn't once discussed where the other lived. But as quickly as the thought came, it went away as she slipped back into easy conversation with him. They walked until they rounded the corner towards Lucy's apartment building.

"Well, that's me," Lucy said, pointing at the structure.

"Guess I'm coming inside with you then," Gray said casually.

Lucy paused, tugging at his arm and bringing him to a halt too. "Uh, what? Gray, I thought… You know about Laxus. I'd never do that to him, Gray! And I thought you wanted to be friends! You said it wasn't a date!" Lucy cried angrily. When she noted that he looked neither ashamed nor guilty, but rather quite amused, the pieces slowly fell in place.

"It wasn't a date," she said slowly, to which Gray shook his head. "And you do want to be friends," she clarified, to which he nodded, grinning. "And you're coming inside because you live in this building too," she finished, feeling idiotic.

"Well, aren't you a regular Sherlock," Gray snickered.

"Hey!" Lucy punched his arm. "Honest mistake."

"I'm not that terrible, Luce. Not gonna try and get in your pants hours after telling you I won't," Gray feigned hurt.

"I never thought you were. I'm just an idiot," she admitted.

"At least you're a fun idiot," Gray shrugged, quickly stepping out of the way as Lucy threw another whack in his direction.

They got onto the elevator, and Lucy pressed the button for the fifth floor. Gray reached around her, pressing the button for the eighth.

"Damn, must be a nice view up there," Lucy whistled.

"Come upstairs for sunrise one morning. It's truly spectacular."

"I'll take you up on that," Lucy beamed.

"I wouldn't expect anything less. But please text me the night before first? I will not be happy if you arbitrarily wake me up at the ass crack of dawn."

The pair laughed together until the same thought hit them just as the doors opened onto Lucy's floor.

"I don't have your number."

"You don't have my number."

They spoke simultaneously, chuckling at their timing. Gray leaned against the elevator doors to prevent them from closing as he handed Lucy his phone. Lucy gave him hers in return and after quickly adding each other's numbers, they swapped back.

"Well, text me for anything," Gray lingered at the elevator.

"Right back at you. I make a mean chicken parmesan, so if you're ever in the mood, just let me know."

Gray clutched his chest dramatically. "A woman after my own heart."

Lucy laughed, and soon Gray joined. As their mirth died down, the pair continued to hover around the elevator. Lucy hesitated momentarily, debating between two options before finally deciding on one. She stepped forward and awkwardly wrapped an arm around Gray's middle. He reciprocated with an equally awkward arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks, Gray. I had a great time tonight," she said, stepping out of the hug.

"Yeah, me too." His voice was thick and he cleared his throat to get rid of it.

"Goodnight, best goddamn TA," Lucy smiled.

"Goodnight, Miss First Day," Gray winked as the elevator doors slid shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're FINALLY at the part of the story that I have been writing in my head for a while now! Thank fuck, because I was so eager to get here! Also, I really thought I was being kinda sneaky by not revealing who the man was in the last chapter, but literally everyone saw through that and guessed Gray. I've been writing him in my head for so long now, and I'm literally so excited to be putting him down into print. Kinda had his character fleshed out the minute I decided I wanted to write a sequel. Hope you liked this chapter and liked their blossoming friendship!


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was still low on the horizon when Lucy's alarm buzzed. She reached over to flick it off, noting the time.

 _Still too early to call Laxus. It's the middle of the night for him_ , she thought with a yawn, swinging her legs out of bed. After having returned home so late, she had barely managed to throw sheets on her bed before passing out. She looked around the room, realising she still had multiple boxes to tackle.

"Okay. Let's do this," she said motivatingly to herself. After quickly brushing her teeth and pouring herself a coffee, Lucy mechanically began attacking every box, removing every item and placing it neatly around her home. It took her a couple hours, but she systematically went through every box until all her belongings had found a new place in her new home. The only thing left to do was put up all her decor. She hated the stark white walls and empty surfaces. Those were the only boxes she was yet to tackle and they were big ones. Artwork, little knick knacks she'd collected, posters, fairy lights; a tapestry. She could envision all her decor across her house and it looked so warm. She quickly checked her phone to see if she had time to set it up now, knowing full well she wouldn't.

"What the fuck?!" Lucy screeched. She knew she wouldn't have had time to put her decor up, but now she barely had time to get dressed. She scrambled into the shower, weeping at not being able to take her sweet time, before running out and nearly slipping on her way to the closet. She quickly found a cute outfit and threw it on, clasping on simple earrings, and swiping on some makeup. Another quick time check told her she'd have to leave her house in ten minutes if she wanted to make it to class on time. She threw open her refrigerator and her heart sank.

 _I haven't bought groceries yet,_ Lucy groaned. "Okay, Lucy. Grab a coffee on the way, and between classes, eat a fruit. And buy groceries on your way home," she spoke aloud to herself.

She double-checked her bag to make sure everything she needed was there and she was slipping her feet into her shoes when there was a knock at her door.

"Yeah?" she called, lacing up her boots.

"It's me," she heard Gray respond.

"One sec!" she tied the knot quickly and skipped to the door, throwing it open. "Morning!" she said brightly.

 _Fuck, who looks good at this hour?!_ Lucy self-consciously tugged at her skirt, adjusting it subtly. She felt frumpy next to him. He had this effortless beauty, with his dark hair, damp from a shower, hanging over his forehead and his immaculate shirt fitting him perfectly. Lucy wasn't sure if she looked like she was trying too hard, or if she wasn't trying enough.

"Morning. You look ready for day two," Gray commented, sizing her up.

"I need to grab a coffee before class. I haven't bought groceries yet, so had to skip breakfast," Lucy shrugged.

Wordlessly, Gray handed her a coffee cup and a paper bag. "Figured you wouldn't have eaten. Got you a bagel. You can eat while we walk."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Gray, you didn't need to," she whispered, touched.

He waved his hand. "Nonsense. I assumed you'd still be unpacking and whatnot. Least I could do."

Lucy smiled gratefully before pulling her door shut and locking it.

As they exited their building, Lucy nudged him with her elbow. "Thank you for breakfast, Gray. I'll buy groceries after class today, and I promise to make you dinner to return the favour."

Gray shrugged, nudging her back.

"Don't worry about it. You can make me dinner after you're all settled in. Done unpacking?" he asked.

"I still gotta put all my art and stuff up, but then I should be done!"

"Your art? You paint?" Gray looked at her curiously.

"Hardly. Just photographs, and things I've collected along the way. General decor, really, but it won't feel like home until I have it up."

"Text me if you need help with it, yeah?" Gray offered, taking Lucy's coffee cup from her and helping himself to a sip.

"Hey!" Lucy protested, trying to snatch it back.

"I'm legally entitled to half of this," Gray said, taking another sip before handing it back to her.

"Remind me to never let you buy coffee for me again," Lucy grumbled, holding the cup protectively. "And yes, I will let you know if I need any help tonight."

"So, do we have any classes together today?" Gray asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. There was a light autumnal chill in the air, and Lucy wished she'd packed a scarf.

"Um, hold on," she said, pulling up her schedule on her phone.

"Do you have the one-thirty with Professor Milkovich?"

"No, I'm doing her course next semester."

"Oh," Lucy said, disappointed. She'd have liked to have her friend in more classes. "Professor Milkovich's course and Professor Bickslow's course are the only two advanced level courses I have."

"So you won't be in several of my classes, then?" Gray pointed out, recalling their conversation from yesterday.

"No, looks like I won't. Just the two."

Gray snickered. "Technically just the one. I'm your TA in Ferny's class, so it doesn't count."

"Of course it counts," Lucy retaliated.

"But you can't sit next to me, can you?" Gray teased mercilessly, chuckling the entire time.

"Fuck off, I'm never sitting next to you again," Lucy huffed, striding away from him until he caught her arm and pulled her back.

"Kidding, kidding. Can I buy you a bagel to make it up to you?"

"You already bought me a bagel," Lucy reminded him, taking a bite.

"Exactly. So we're fine," Gray shrugged.

"You're a sneaky man, Fullbuster," Lucy chastised.

"You'll grow to love it," Gray said as they walked up the steps to the academic building. "Anyway, in case I don't catch you at lunch, see you in the evening?"

"Yeah, I'm heading to the grocery store right after classes, and then home to do my decor."

"Right. Cool, I'll see you," Gray waved pleasantly before leaving Lucy at the door. As he walked away, towards his other friends, Lucy began feeling alone in this sea of unknown faces. She kept her head down and walked to class, hoping desperately to make another friend soon.

* * *

It was Lucy's fourth class of the day and she was starving. With Gray having nibbled on a lot of her bagel, and the fact that she missed lunch because she got caught up in the library, she realised she hadn't eaten much since last night. Her stomach was rumbling audibly and she pressed her bag over it, trying to silence its crude noises.

"Hey, you hungry?" she heard the person next to her whisper. She turned to see a gentle looking girl who looked several years younger.

"Sorry, I haven't eaten lunch," Lucy whispered back guiltily.

"Oh, don't worry. Here," the young girl responded as she waded through her bag. She triumphantly yanked out a granola bar and slid it across the table. "Just put tiny pieces in your mouth, the professor won't realise you're eating in class," she advised softly.

"You sure?" Lucy asked in shock. When the girl nodded her head vehemently, Lucy shot her a grateful smile before tearing open the wrapper as quietly as possible. She broke off a small piece and quickly pushed it into her mouth, chewing as discreetly as possible. The instant she swallowed the bite, the rumbling in her stomach ceased and she looked at the girl, mouthing, "Thank you!" expressively. Bite by tiny bite, Lucy pushed the granola bar into her mouth, feeling infinitely better as her hunger pangs dissipated.

When the bar was done, Lucy crumpled the empty wrapper and shoved it into her bag, smiling at the girl gratefully once more. Eventually, the professor announced the end of class, and the sound of scraping chairs filled the room. Lucy made sure to linger, so that she could walk out next to the girl who gave her food.

"Hey," Lucy called as they walked towards the door. "Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!" she gushed.

The girl, who was so small that she made Lucy look tall, blushed at the effusive gratitude. "It's okay, I was more than happy to help," she said in a soft, gentle voice.

"I'm Lucy. First year," she said extending her hand.

The smaller girl took it delicately. "Wendy. First year, too. It's nice to meet you Lucy!"

"It's nice to meet you! For a second I thought you were an undergrad sitting in on a Masters course," Lucy chatted as they walked.

"I graduated a few months ago, but you're not the first to think that," Wendy giggled. "Most people think I'm still in high school. My mother is very short and petite as well, so guess I took after her," Wendy shrugged.

"Well, it's a good look on you," Lucy stated firmly, not wanting to make the girl feel bad about how young she looked.

"How was your first day? Make any friends yet?" Wendy asked politely.

"It was good! I met one of my TAs, who also happens to be in an advanced level Business course with me, so we went out for a beer yesterday. He's been really nice, but that's about it. I've talked to a couple other people here and there, but it was mostly in passing. What about you?"

Wendy shifted awkwardly. "I haven't really talked to anyone outside of asking for directions and things. Everyone keeps thinking I'm a prospective student, or someone's younger sibling, or a professor's daughter, so they don't pay much attention to me," she said, sounding a little sad.

Lucy didn't know what to say. The girl was still a virtual stranger, and Lucy didn't know how to comfort her, but she did know that she liked this girl.

"Listen, do you want to grab a coffee today? I get done at 5," Lucy offered.

Wendy's face brightened instantly. "Yes, Lucy! I'd love to! I get done by 4:30, but I don't mind waiting for a bit."

"Great! See you by the steps at 5?"

Wendy nodded enthusiastically. With exuberant goodbyes, the girls parted ways, and Lucy smiled to herself, happy to have made a second friend.

* * *

On her walk back from the grocery store, Lucy went over the events of her little coffee date, forming a mental image of the kind of person Wendy was.

 _She's shy, for sure. And innocent. God, that girl is so innocent. Which twenty-two year old hadn't gotten shitfaced even once?! I wonder if she's had sex… I don't think so, but there still may be a wild little kitten underneath her baby doll exterior. Should I be a terrible influence? Maybe take her out partying? She needs a severe confidence boost… Maybe I can set her up with Gray… Or not. I can find someone else. I don't know if Gray is really her type. I'm sure I'll meet someone soon who'll be a perfect match,_ Lucy thought excitedly to herself. Playing matchmaker was one of her favourite pastimes, and she was thrilled to have found a new subject.

She hauled her groceries into the elevator and up to her house, where she neatly unpacked everything. Satisfied that she'd no longer starve, Lucy changed into shorts and a tank top, tying her hair into a messy top knot, before opening the last of her boxes. Vases, statuettes, lamps, and an oil diffuser quickly found their place around the living room and bedroom. She then got to hanging up framed photographs and art, many of which were Laxus Dreyar originals. She hung those in a prominent spot in her living room so that she, and everyone who entered her house, would get to see what a talented man her stunning boyfriend was. After an hour of affixing and arranging, Lucy took stock of what remained, finding only a stunning tapestry and her fairy lights.

"Okay, I need a chair," she mumbled to herself, before dragging one from the dining table in the kitchen. She pushed it up against the wall and climbed on, tapestry in one hand, roll of tape in the other. She taped up one corner before looking down to make sure it wasn't touching the ground, and to her dismay, a good four inches of fabric swept the floor. She ripped the tape off and got onto her toes, stretching her hand up as far as it would go, and still no luck. She simply couldn't tape the tapestry further up on the wall without falling off a chair.

"This is why people buy ladders," Lucy grumbled irritatedly to herself. Either she had to go and buy a ladder, or forego her tapestry, neither of which were things she wanted to do.

"What am I going to do with a ladder anyway? I'll use it maybe twice, and then it'll just take up space. Ugh, I wish I could rent one!" Lucy groaned. As the words left her lips, however, an idea struck. She hopped off the chair and ran around her house searching for her phone. Finally locating it under a throw pillow, Lucy navigated her way straight to Gray's number.

" _Do you have a ladder?"_ she texted cryptically.

Within a minute, her phone rang.

"Hey!" she said brightly.

"What the fuck do you need a ladder for, Luce?" Gray questioned on the other end of the line, deeply confused.

"I'm going apple picking," she said sarcastically. "No, I need to put up some more stuff and I'm not tall enough. I mean, worst case I'll buy a ladder, but it seems like a waste."

Gray groaned loudly. "I'll be down. Give me a minute," he said before hanging up.

Just in time, Lucy looked down at her outfit. It was definitely too risque. Her tank top clung to her body and displayed enough of her cleavage, and her shorts hugged her ass. She knew she didn't have the time to change entirely, so she sprinted to her closet and threw on one of Laxus's shirts, buttoning it partially. As she checked herself out, happy that she looked more decent, she heard a knock on the door.

"Where's the ladder?" Lucy asked as a greeting.

Gray looked at her exasperatedly before gesturing to himself. "Me. I'm the ladder."

"If I couldn't reach, what makes you think you can?" Lucy sniped, moving aside to let him in.

"Maybe the fact that I'm nearly a foot taller than you," Gray shot back. Lucy opened her mouth to rebuke it before clamping it shut. He was _much_ taller than her.

"Okay fine," Lucy acquiesced. She handed him the tapestry and the tape before directing him to the chair. She made herself comfortable on the couch, putting her feet up and lounging as he got to work.

"This okay?" he asked, looking back at her. He was holding up one corner of the tapestry at the perfect height, and much to Lucy's frustration, he wasn't even standing on his toes.

"Yeah, perfect," she smiled gratefully.

_Damn, how is he so tall? It's just not fair. I wish I was taller. He's even taller than Laxus, but Laxus is more built. My man has all those yummy muscles and his back… Oh my god, his back. His abs. His butt. Okay Lucy, calm down, stop fantasizing about Laxus when you have company. I mean, Gray is very attractive too. He's skinnier, but he still looks pretty strong… Maybe he's a swimmer._

"Hey, Gray? You a swimmer?" she asked curiously.

Gray stopped taping, looking at her over his shoulder. "Not competitively, but I'm good. Why do you ask?"

"You have a swimmer's body," Lucy pointed out, trying to not let it sound flirtatious.

"Checking me out, huh, Luce?"

"No, I-!" she began protesting.

"I haven't gone swimming in a while though. No time, I guess," Gray shrugged, cutting her off. He put up the last piece of tape before hopping off the chair. "What next?" he asked, hands on his slim hips.

"You really don't have to," Lucy said guiltily.

"I don't mind. Gimme," Gray gestured towards the boxes.

"It's just the fairy lights, but I can help with that," Lucy offered, pulling them out of the box.

And so, together, the two of them strung lights up all over Lucy's house. Gray connected his phone to her speakers and played music that they both sang along to, laughing whenever one of them went terribly offkey. And when they were done, Lucy stood in front of the switchbox.

"Want to do the honours?" she asked.

"You turn out the main lights, I'll turn on the fairy lights. Teamwork makes the dream work," Gray trilled ironically.

"Okay done. Let's see if you've done a good job, Mr. Fullbuster," Lucy raised an eyebrow before flicking off the lights. Suddenly, her house plunged into darkness, and she heard Gray move towards her.

"Probably should've been closer to the switchbox before you did that," he mumbled, stumbling across the room. When he got to Lucy, he stood right behind her. He reached around her towards the switchbox, his arm coming very close to her body. He was a couple inches away, but Lucy could feel the heat radiating off his body, and it felt like time had slowed. While it may have been only a couple seconds, it felt like many minutes to Lucy, who was acutely aware of how closer they were to another, and how she was almost encircled in his arms, and how there were two voices in her head, one telling her to step away, and the other telling her to not move. But before one voice could win over the other, Gray had turned the lights on, bathing her house in a warm, dim, golden glow.

"Not bad, Lucy. Not bad at all," Gray said appreciatively, moving to the couch. "I like the photographs, by the way."

Lucy shook her head subtly to clear it before turning to him.

"Oh, thanks. Laxus took most of those."

"He's got a real eye," Gray commented, nodding his head in approval before turning to Lucy. "I mean, he did bag you, so I shouldn't be surprised."

And much to her frustration, Lucy blushed. Before she could respond, Gray continued.

"Feel free to throw me out, but I'm starving, so do you, by any chance, have food?"

Quashing the blush, Lucy nodded. "I have chips and cookies kinda stuff, and I also have more of a bread and cheese type situation. What're you in the mood for?"

"Fuck, for real? Can I make myself a grilled cheese?" Gray sat up excitedly.

"I can make it for you, if you want…" Lucy offered awkwardly. She loved how comfortable he'd made himself in her home, but it wasn't something she was used to. Maybe it was the warm lights, or him being there, but Lucy's tiny little apartment was starting to feel a lot more homely.

"Nah, sit. I'll figure it out," Gray said as he stood up heavily. "You want one?"

Out of instinct, Lucy was about to turn down the offer, telling him to not trouble himself, but slowly, she was coming around to the fact that he'd thrown formality out the window and that she ought to follow suit.

"Yes, please. Can you make mine extra toasty?" she requested.

"Like dark gold or nearly burnt?"

"Nearly burnt."

"You got it, Luce. One nearly burnt grilled cheese coming right up," he announced, heading to the kitchen as Lucy curled up on the armchair.

She watched him cook, carefully smearing the bread with butter and neatly laying down slices of cheese, and Lucy couldn't help but smile at his focus. His brow was furrowed and he was biting down on his lip, which made Lucy want to laugh. Clearly, he was no good in the kitchen, but it was endearing that he tried. And when he presented her with a nearly burnt grilled cheese, she had to admit that it wasn't bad at all.

* * *

"Thanks again, Gray," Lucy whispered. The corridor was dark, save for one light, and there were no sounds in the building. By the time they finished eating, and talking, and splitting a bar of chocolate, and then drinking a glass of wine each, it was well past midnight.

"Not a problem. Thanks for the food."

"You have a standing meal invite, whenever you want," she offered.

"Literally do not offer me that, because I will only ever eat in your house then," Gray laughed.

"Really though, thanks. Not just for the tapestry and the lights. I'm glad we're friends," Lucy said emotionally.

Gray scoffed and shoved Lucy's forehead. "No need to thank me for being your friend, Luce. You make it easy."

In retaliation, Lucy whacked his stomach, momentarily astounded by the rock hard abs she felt there, before giggling. "Goodnight," she said softly, stepping forward to hug him.

"Night," Gray murmured, wrapping a firm arm around her. They stayed in that hug for a second longer than either of them had anticipated, and with awkward chuckles and waves, they bid each other goodbye.

As Lucy crawled into bed, she checked her phone, having just remembered that she hadn't looked at it in a while.

_One Missed Call From Laxus Dreyar_

_Text From Laxus Dreyar: "Hey babe, guess you're already asleep. Was just calling to find out how your day was. Hope you're settling in well! Mira and I are stepping out to meet some of the producers from the show. They want to take me out for a drink. Talk to you tomorrow? Maybe after your classes? I miss your gorgeous face. I love you so much, Lu. Can't wait until you're in my arms again."_

She read the message once more time before the dam burst and she began sobbing uncontrollably. She wanted to pick up the phone and call him now, but he was probably in some loud club somewhere with all these executives and producers and champagne and scantily clad women. She'd call him tomorrow. She'd spend an entire hour with him on the phone. Lucy wasn't sure if she was crying because she missed him, or because she didn't answer his call, or maybe it was guilt. Guilt over something she didn't want to process yet. But whatever the reason, in that moment, Lucy wanted to give everything up just to be able to hold her boyfriend again.

Despite a lovely evening, Lucy went to bed that night sad and alone, with every cell in her body craving a man thousands of miles away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know I'm being terrible introducing this ~ tension ~ but 1. you know you love it, and 2. I really don't want to spoil it or anything, but I guess what I can say is that this won't be a second Getting It. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you, but this story won't be like that one, mainly because it's boring to write the same plot twice.
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter! I am LOVING writing Gray and Lucy together and a lot of their friendship so far and in what's to come is based off of very real friendships in my life, so writing this all is kind of like a stroll down memory lane. As always, please leave me your thoughts! I'd love to know what you guys think about the story so far!


	9. Chapter 9

Laxus was dreaming of a blonde head and a petite body and the prettiest, happiest voice in the world. He could practically feel Lucy in his arms as he dreamt of holding her while they watched a Grecian sunset. In his sleep, his lips curved into a smile. And when he felt his bed dip, he unconsciously reached out, wrapping an arm around her waist.

 _Lucy's here!_ his sleepy brain cheered.

Then a firm hand shook his shoulder and a clear voice cut through the quiet morning.

"Laxus, stop trying to get me to cuddle you. I am not your mother and I am not your girlfriend and you are late!" Mira scolded.

With a gasp, Laxus's eyes flew open and he wrenched his arm off Mira's stomach. He looked at his traitrours arm in shock before sitting up and running his fingers through his hair.

"What the fuck, Mira?" he groaned.

"You're late, you aren't picking up your phone, and then you try and cuddle me. You tell me what the fuck," she fired back.

"I thought you were Lucy!" Laxus groaned, dropping his face into his hands. "I'm sorry, Mira," he whispered.

She exhaled softly before placing a comforting hand on his back. She gently caressed him, caringly.

"Don't apologise. It's okay. You miss her," Mira said softly.

"It's been two weeks. We've gone longer without seeing each other, so I don't know why I miss her this much," Laxus said sadly.

"I don't know either, Laxus. Maybe it's because you have a ring and you're ready to start your lives _together_ , but you can't right now. But it'll be fine, Laxus. You'll see her soon, and if you want, I'll talk to the producers and get you a weekend off to go visit her" Mira suggested.

Laxus looked up from his palms and smiled gratefully at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you. You're a genius, you know?"

Mira laughed and ruffled Laxus's hair. "I just know _you_. Doesn't make me a genius, but it does make me a damn good friend. Now put a shirt on and come outside. I'll fix you breakfast while we go over your schedule for the next couple days," Mira said, sliding off the bed.

"Hey Mira," Laxus called as she neared the bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

"I don't say this enough, but I truly love you," Laxus said sincerely. And for the first time since he'd known her, he saw Mira look shocked.

Quickly, however, she collected herself and grinned at him. "You've never said that before, but I love you too. It's the only reason I put up with all your shit. Well, that and the gorgeous paycheck you write me," Mira snickered.

"Remind me to get you an extra special Christmas gift," Laxus laughed, waving her out of the room so that he could get dressed.

When he was presentable, Laxus emerged from his room and took a seat in front of the plate Mira had prepared. She'd fried his eggs and buttered his toast and poured him a mug of coffee and was now sitting on the counter, scrolling through her phone.

"I sometimes don't know how I functioned as an adult man before you," Laxus commented, taking a sip of his perfectly made brew.

"I'm pretty sure I spoilt you, actually. I fully believe you were far more functional before you hired me," Mira answered, not looking up from her phone.

"Are you not eating?" Laxus asked.

"Nah, I ate on the way. I was hoping you'd have eaten too so we could get straight down to business, but then you decided to sleep in," Mira said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I have been tired!" Laxus protested.

"Work hasn't even kicked into full swing yet! You've just been meeting with the hosts and producers and network people so far!"

"And that's exhausting. But that's besides the point. What's my schedule? Please, drown me in more work, Mira," he said sarcastically as he shoved a forkful of egg into his mouth.

"I don't appreciate the tone, you snarky old man, but I'll let it slide. Okay, today you're gonna finally meet the models. It's day one auditions, so the producers will vet everyone. Some will be selected from that pool, and they'll meet the judges. The judges will pick the ones they liked, and those girls will finally meet you. You'll do a quick photoshoot with each of them, and the best photographs will move on to day two. Tomorrow is another shoot, and the best photographs from that will be selected for the main show."

"Is there a theme for today's shoot?" Laxus asked.

"One second," Mira said, pulling her laptop out of her bag and opening it. She quickly skimmed the documents sent to her, searching for information. "Uh… No. No, there's no theme or anything. This is just to see how they photograph and interact with the camera. It does say you are to give them minimal direction, so I think today is just about seeing if these girls know what to do when they're put on a set."

Laxus nodded, swallowing his breakfast. "Sounds easy. Roughly how many girls am I photographing today?"

"Well, they can't be sure. Depends on how many the producers send through, and how many the judges like, but based on past seasons, the ballpark figure they've given is around fifty," Mira said with a wince.

" _Fifty?!_ Mira! I am going to _die_! How the fuck I am going to photograph fifty girls?! That'll be exhausting!" Laxus cried. He was desperately regretting agreeing to this.

"Wait, hold on," Mira silenced him as she continued to read. "Okay, you'll have a couple of secondary photographers. Today's shoot will be handled by them, you just need to oversee it. They'll also handle any impromptu shoots or low-level activities. You need to handle any and all group shots and the major challenge in every episode. Today's shoot is below your pay grade, don't worry," Mira calmed him down.

"You and I both know I'm going to get frustrated with the second rate photographers they send me," Laxus said, rolling his eyes. "I have a feeling I'm going to end up doing most of the shoots myself."

"If you stopped being such a perfectionist, you'd be able to relax more," Mira pointed out.

"My perfectionism is what gets me paid the amount I get paid, and so, by extension, my perfectionism is what pays your fat check," Laxus fired back.

Mira just laughed, throwing a wadded up paper towel at him.

* * *

Laxus was bored. He'd been waiting at the studio for an hour with Mira while producers buzzed around him like flies, adjusting his mic, touching up his makeup, and constantly asking him if he needed anything.

"Why are they so persistent? And why am I wearing makeup?" he hissed at Mira.

"They're doing their job of keeping you comfortable, and you'll be on camera, so you need to look good," Mira explained patiently.

"They're doing a terrible job because I am not comfortable. I feel like a circus clown. And I look good without makeup! Mira, please make them stop," Laxus begged.

"Laxus, shut up," Mira said flatly, scrolling through her phone. When Laxus tried grumbling again, she shot him a withering glare that promptly sealed his lips.

"You can't have everything, Laxus," Mira said after several minutes of watching Laxus sulk in silence. "You wanted the big TV gig, so you gotta deal with this too."

"I was happy just freelancing," Laxus muttered.

An exasperated Mira sighed before reaching out and whacking him behind the head. "Fine. I'm going to the network executives right now and telling them you quit," she threatened, hopping off her chair.

In a flash, Laxus's hand shot out and wrapped around Mira's wrist. "No, don't, You're right. I'm being a brat. This is an incredible opportunity and I need to stop fucking being a grump."

"Yes, you do need to stop being a grump. But I'll give you a free pass just this once," Mira smiled, sliding back onto her chair.

As Laxus let her wrist go, he noticed two people approaching them. They weren't dressed in black, like the other producers, and they both had camera bags slung over their shoulders.

"Ah! You must be the secondary photographers," Mira said warmly, extending her hand. "I'm Mira, Laxus's assistant."

The two shook her hand before turning to Laxus.

"Laxus," he said simply, holding his hand out. The woman reached for it first. She had a firm grip and looked Laxus dead in the eye.

 _She's confident and not a pushover. I like her_ , he thought to himself.

"Cana Alberona, sir. It's a pleasure to be working with you." Her voice was clear and her deep brown eyes sparkled with hidden wit. Laxus smiled briefly before turning to the man with peculiar hair. Dark roots lead to neon green ends which, surprisingly, complimented his eyes stunningly.

"Hello, Mr. Laxus sir!" he said enthusiastically, shaking his hand. The young man was a little too energetic for Laxus's tastes, but he'd rather have an excited intern than a lacklustre one. "I'm such a huge fan of your work, sir! I've been following your career for a few years now and you're just amazing! I can't wait to learn from you, sir!"

"Your name?" Laxus asked, delicately removing his hand from the other's grasp.

"Oh! Sorry, sir! Freed Justine, sir!" the man sputtered.

"Okay, great. Freed, Cana? First things first, we're dropping the 'sir'. Just 'Laxus' is plenty. Secondly, I feel the need to warn you both up front, I am a perfectionist. And sometimes this will mean I do shoots that you were scheduled to, or I ask you to redo a shot multiple times or any number of small nitty-gritty things that you may get frustrated by. If that doesn't work for you, feel free to walk away now. But if you decide to stay on, I will demand a lot, but I also promise to make you better photographers for it. Okay?"

When the pair nodded their assent, Laxus clapped his hands together. "Well, let's figure out when these models are getting here, huh?"

* * *

Mira watched from the side as Laxus marched up and down behind Freed and Cana, adjusting their angle, giving them tips, and giving the models feedback. With every new model that walked onto the set, Mira scoffed and rolled her eyes. Each one was as bad as the last. It was clear they were trying to suck up to Laxus, hoping he'd ensure they got a good shot. A few were bold enough to even slip him their phone numbers, which he would promptly volley into the trashcan the second they left the room.

 _It's not like Freed is much better_ , Mira thought to herself, holding back a giggle when she spotted Freed eyeing Laxus with utter devotion. And while Freed was eyeing Laxus with devotion, Mira noticed Laxus eyeing Cana with surprised appreciation. During a break, Laxus walked up to Mira and leaned over the arm of her chair.

"She's good!" he whispered into Mira's ear. When she pulled back and looked at him quizzically, he elaborated. "I mean, she has amazing potential. The way she frames things, and the clarity of her shots. Immaculate! Hell, I'll have to _barely_ edit her shots! She's gonna be incredible, Mira. Maybe even better than me."

Mira gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth in feigned shock. "Better than the great Laxus Dreyar?! Could it be?!"

Laxus shoved Mira's shoulder and glared. "Stop teasing. She's really very good."

"Hire her then," Mira said simply, turning back to her phone.

"What?"

Pushing her phone into her coat, Mira turned in her chair to face Laxus. "Hire her. Once this is done. Expand your business. Get another photographer who can deliver the same calibre of work, and have them work under your name. You're a freelancer right now. I'm telling you to become a brand."

"Shut up, Mira," Laxus laughed.

Mira reached out and gripped his hand. "I'm serious, Laxus. Think it through, and when this is done, maybe give her a job. If she's as good as you say she is."

Laxus didn't say anything. Mira held his gaze for several moments, silently imploring him, and they only broke eye contact when a producer called for the end of the break.

* * *

"A rosé for you, two beers, and a martini," the waiter announced over the music. He set the drinks down in the middle of the circular table before taking his leave.

Freed quickly reached for the rosé, pulling it close to him. While he didn't look uncomfortable, he fidgeted nervously with the rim of his glass.

 _Probably thinking of a way to impress Laxus,_ Mira snickered to herself. She took a sip of her martini, feeling the knots in her back disappear as the liquid singed its way down her throat. Laxus reached over her to pick up the two beers, handing one to Cana.

"Do you guys mind?" the brunette asked, fishing a box of cigarettes out of her bag. When everyone shook their heads, she pulled one out with her teeth before flicking her lighter on. The lit end of the cigarette burned a bright orange as she inhaled. Her body visibly relaxed as the first hit of nicotine coursed through her, and when she exhaled, a purple plume of smoke rose up to the ceiling.

"You did good today. Both of you," Laxus said, slightly raising his glass.

Cana nodded back while Freed looked like he was about to collapse.

"Laxus, if I may…" Cana began. When Laxus tipped his head, she continued. "This is your first time doing this as well, isn't it?"

" _Cana!"_ Freed hissed. "Shut up!"

"No, it's fine," Laxus held his hand up. "It is my first time working a TV gig. And I'm trying to figure a lot of this out for myself, just like you both. And that means that we can discuss things, and try and collectively come to a solution, but I hope you weren't insinuating that since it's my first TV gig, you don't need to listen to me?" he looked at Cana pointedly.

Mira watched the interaction nervously, waiting to see Cana lose her cool and stutter or fly off the handle or _something_. And when she didn't, Mira nearly wailed in disappointment.

"Not at all," Cana replied coolly. "I don't intend to be a TV photographer forever, and I was asking because I was hoping you'd mentor me. Outside the TV stuff."

Laxus relaxed and he eased back into his seat. "Of course. When we get some downtime, I'd love to help you."

"Laxus, could you ple-" Freed began, eager to jump on the train when he was cut off by a slimy looking man in a suit and gold chain.

"Laxus! Good first day?" the man asked.

When Cana looked at Mira quizzically, the white-blonde mouthed back " _network executive"_.

"Very good. These are my assistant photographers," Laxus said, gesturing to the two. "Yeah, some decent models in the mix, huh?"

"Decent? Son, they're all sexy as fuck, and let me tell you, very easy to get into bed, if you're interested," he winked at Laxus.

Before Laxus could respond, the man turned to Mira. "Doll, you sure you don't want to be on my show? Let me tell you, a face like yours, and that body? You'd win the damn thing. And even if you didn't, I'll make sure you got something out of it anyway. It would be something you never forgot, if you know what I mean. Hell, we can do that tonight, if you want," he leered.

Mira shrank back, almost trying to hide herself behind Laxus. The blond man stood up, towering over the executive. "If that's all, Ivan. We've all had a long day, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd rather not talk work right now. I'll see you on set tomorrow," he said firmly, extending his hand.

Ivan wasn't a stupid man. He knew he was being rebuffed, but he also knew that if he were to instigate a fight, it would look worse for him than it would for Laxus. Bristling, he shook Laxus's hand, before nodding to the others. As soon as he'd walked away, Laxus dropped back down and took Mira's hand in his.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. He's just creepy."

"That fucking bastard. I'll kick his ass if you want, Mira," Laxus threatened.

"Calm down, Laxus. He isn't the first gross man to make disgusting comments," Mira rolled her eyes.

"I should kick his ass anyway," Laxus grumbled.

"You'll put a target on her back and on yours. Wait. Don't do anything now. And if you need to kick his ass later, I'll hold him down for you," Cana interjected, looking solemn.

"Yes, me too," Freed vowed, no longer looking like the timid, excitable boy from ten minutes ago.

Mira's eyes welled with tears. "Thanks, guys," she sniffed. She picked up her martini and downed it in one sip, shuddering as it burned through her. And when Laxus did the same thing immediately after, he managed to spill most of his beer down his shirt. Quickly the group devolved into laughter and good cheer, but when Laxus gently squeezed Mira's hand, she knew he hadn't forgotten and wasn't planning on forgetting anything that the grimy executive had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merriest of Christmases! And happiest of New Years! Writing and uploading all got crazy delayed because of the holiday season, but we're back now! I hope everyone (all my seven readers lmao) had a good holiday! I had a great one! Did a sweet lunch with my friends and family, and a quiet evening of Christmas music and mulled wine. A lovely bright spot amidst this 2020 fuckery. 
> 
> About this chapter, I really really thought I'd have to force myself to write what Laxus was up to, because I am so invested in Lucy and Gray, but turns out, I am also invested in Laxus! I will try and balance both their story lines, which also means I'm lowkey kinda writing two different stories in this one fic and idk how people do it, honestly. Also, I'm sure you noticed, but there has been a time jump (two weeks). This is gonna keep happening, since it would get very tedious to try and go into the minutiae. Let me know if it ever gets confusing, and I am also trying very hard to keep track of the timelines, so please point it out if there have been any slipups!
> 
> As always, let me know what you think! Hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!


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